The Stterile Field : Understand The Surgical Informed Consent Process

Informed consent is the basis for all legal and moral aspects of a patient’s autonomy. Implied consent is when you and your physician interact in which the consent is assumed, such as in a physical exam by your doctor. Written consent is a more extensive form in which it mostly applies when there is testing or experiments involved over a period of time. The long process is making sure the patient properly understands the risk and benefits that could possible happen during and after the treatment. As a physician, he must respect the patient’s autonomy. For a patient to be an autonomous agent, he must have legitimate moral values. The patient has all the rights to his medical health and conditions that arise. When considering informed

Another issue with the implementation of Informed consent arises when the patient waives the right to Informed consent and leaves the right to make the decision on the physician. Though legally correct, this can cause psychological stress for the physician especially when the decision is about a life threatening medical condition. Moreover, this also makes the patient vulnerable to abuse. (Manthous, DeGirolamo, 2003)

If an emergency is life-threatening, or the patient is not mentally competent to make a decision regarding consent, then the requirement may be waived. In a life-threatening situation, there may not be time to provide a patient with the risks and benefits of a procedure. If a surrogate is available to make a decision on behalf of the patient, such as a spouse or a parent, then they will often to be authorized to give consent. Otherwise, informed consent is presumed.

consent where the person is sleeping or incapacitated, such as due to age, alcohol or drugs, or mental

A comatose patient has the same rights as to that of a patient that is fully conscious, therefore, should not receive more or less treatment because of their condition. It is fact each patient has a unique situation but that should not hinder them from the care they rightfully deserve. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), was put into place to ensure and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system all the while protecting patient health information. Meaning the hospital and its staff are obligated by law to be given consent before treatment. To be considered legally informed a health professional must inform and disclose to the patient and/or legal guardian of the diagnosis, the proposed

Informed consent is when a physician describes the treatment or procedures and the patient or the patient’s representative approves them. Implied consent is when a patient’s actions suggest obedience, such as when a patient pulls up his or her sleeve to receive a shot. Implied consent in submissive where as informed consent is more active when a patient is able to be more functional. In emergency situations however, consent by accident victims in

2) If the patient is not legally deemed competent to make his or her own medical decisions then an appointed guardian, next of kin, or power of attorney must provide consent on behalf of the patient, unless it is an emergency situation in which the health care providers must act fast, based on the case of Schloendorff v. Society of New York. In the case of an emergency the medical team may necessary care to keep the patient safe and sustain his or her life.

There are different types of consent that can be gained by individual for a treatment to be carried out, for example, expressed consent can be given either written or in a verbal form (Tidy 2016a). Verbal consent can express through words, for example, agreeing for a blood pressure measurement to be taken (Farlex, 2003). Written consent is a legal documentation through the individual’s signature stating that they comply with treatment. Implied consent is the assumption that the patient concurs with the treatment as they haven’t denied it (NHS Scotland 2016). If a patient is unconscious there is no information or statement nearby to suggesting a decline of a treatment e.g. Religious reasoning for not taking a blood test, health professionals

Informed consent is a phrase often used in law to indicate that the consent a person gives meets certain minimum standards. In order to give informed consent, the individual concerned must have adequate reasoning faculties and be in possession of all relevant facts at the time consent is given. Impairments to reasoning and judgment which may make it impossible for someone to give informed

This essay will focus on the importance of consent in adult nursing and in child nursing. Consent is a fundamental part of the nursing process and is a legal, ethical and professional requirement all adult nurses are obliged to adhere to. Consent is important, as it promotes patient’s autonomy and human rights. It gives people the right to contribute to the decisions made regarding their care and treatment, giving them the right to consent or refuse. Buka, (2015)

The case of J, the 17 year old who needed a below the elbow amputation is a classic example of a case for the emergency exception to the need for consent. In this case, the three conditions justifying treatment without informed consent were present. The patient was unconscious therefore incapable of consenting with no lawful surrogate available, there was danger of significant impairment to health, and immediate treatment was necessary to prevent these complications. The need for treatment was urgent enough that delaying it to get in contact with the surrogate would endanger the patient. Additionally, the physician obtained a clinical consultation from two other physicians and confirmed the need for immediate amputation. Typically, no one raises

7. If this will be an out-patient procedure or if you will need to stay in a hospital for any length of time

The students have learned about the surgical supplies and instruments, and also about surgical asepsis and assisting with surgical procedures. Medical assistant’s duties are preparing the patients and the sterile field, assisting the physician as needed, taking care of the patient after the procedure, and properly disinfect the area that was used. Also, the medical assistant should document as needed. In surgical solution the solutions are sterile water and sterile saline. These solution is used in minor surgery. Students were taught to know the types of instruments to use in surgery, how they are used and how they are cleaned after usage. Asepsis is the freedom from infection or infectious material. Medical asepsis destruction of organisms

Asepsis is the state of being free from disease-causing contaminants (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites) or, preventing contact with microorganisms. The term asepsis often refers to those practices used to promote or induce asepsis in an operative field in surgery or medicine to prevent infection. Asepsis is a term that is used, medically, and surgically. Medically asepsis is being concerned with eliminating the spread of microorganisms through facility practices. In my own words, that means using all safety precautions, to insure, that viruses, bacteria’s, and other microorganism are not present. An example of medical asepsis would be things such as the flu, mumps, rabies, and other contagious infections. Medical asepsis should always be practiced, because it helps the patient fight a current infection and prevent its spread, prevents the patient from being re-infected by the same pathogen, Prevents the patient from being infected with a new pathogen, Prevents health care professionals and visitors who come in contact with the patient from being infected, Helps decrease the chance of the patient acquiring a nosocomial infection.

This College of Medicine program, funded by multiple NIH institutes and located in the Department of Surgery since its founding in the 1980 's greatly expanded during the current APR review period. It is directed by Professor of Surgery Marlys Witte, MD with the assistance of Michael Bernas, MS as curriculum Coordinator, Grace Wagner as program Manager, and Peter Crown, PhD as multimedia producer.