Nursing

Evidence based project

Name

University name

Informed consent

The perioperative care process is an essential as well as a challenging environment. Perioperative physicians are challenged regularly to improve patient safety. Informed consent is one of the most critical parts of preoperative procedures. This is an interactive process between the doctor/clinician performing the medical procedure and the patient or the surrogate guardian of the patient (Hochhauser, 2008).

Informed consent is performed before surgery. Signature of the patient on the consent form does constitute informed consent, but rather is a record, for both institutional and legal purposes. It shows that some form of a consent process took place (Mackintosh, & Vernette, 2007).

The presence of the patient in the hospital ward or intensive care unit does not automatically represent implied consent to all treatment and procedures. The patient's wishes, expectations, views and values may differ from those of the physicians. This is why it is required legally for the clinician to allow the patient sign an informed consent. However, while the principle of respect for person requires that the clinician do his/her best to incorporate the patient in the medical care decisions that affect him, the principle of beneficence may require the clinician to act on behalf of the patient for his life’s stake (Rauscher, 2011).

The patient's written consent for the surgery is an essential portion of preoperative care. Legally, the physician/doctor performing the procedure must explain the benefits and risks underlining the medical procedure along with other treatment alternatives (Dean & Fawcett, 2009). Usually, the witness of the patient's signature on the consent form is the nurse. It is also essential that the patient/guardian understands the contents on the form.

For the informed consent to be valid, the patient must be considered competent enough to make the decision and offer the consent...