Question

Showalter, J. S. (2017). The law of healthcare administration(8th ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.

After reading chapter 11 in the text, prepare your answers to the following and post them in a 2-page document. 1) What is the hospital's role in obtaining informed consent? 2) What is required for informed consent to be valid? 3) How does the principle of informed consent apply to competent patients who refuse lifesaving treatment? How does it apply to incompetent patients who have signed an advance directive? 4) How does informed consent apply to someone who had not signed an advance directive? To a newborn? To a mature minor?

Answer 1

Answer: The hospital plays major role in the obtaining informed consent as it is a responsibility of the hospital to take informed consent from the patient. These informed consent should be documented and should be saved properly.

For the informed consent it is necessary that the patient should have proper consent and should understand the procedure used in the treatment. It is considered to be valid when it is signed by the patient as well as the witness.

The physician should respect the patient autonomy if the patient refuse the lifesaving treatment. So, the informed consent involves the specifications that the patient is not ready for life saving treatment.

The patient's living will should be given respect and should be followed as the advance directive has been signed by the patient.