Advance Directives and Patient Consent Flashcards

What is informed consent?

Answer: A process in which a patient voluntarily agrees to a proposed treatment after receiving adequate information about it

Informed consent is the process by which a patient voluntarily agrees to a proposed medical intervention after being fully informed of its nature, risks, benefits, and alternatives.

Which of the following is considered a key element of valid informed consent?

Answer: The patient must receive information about the risks, benefits, and alternatives to the proposed treatment

Valid informed consent requires disclosure of risks, benefits, and alternatives so the patient can make a knowledgeable, voluntary decision.

Under what circumstance may a minor consent to their own medical treatment without parental involvement?

Answer: When the minor is an emancipated minor or the treatment involves certain legally specified services such as STI treatment

Emancipated minors and, in many states, minors seeking treatment for specific sensitive services (e.g., STIs, substance abuse, reproductive health) may provide their own consent.

What is a POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) form?

Answer: A set of medical orders reflecting a patient's wishes about specific life-sustaining treatments, signed by a physician

A POLST is a portable, actionable medical order signed by both the patient (or surrogate) and a physician that specifies the patient's preferences for resuscitation, hospitalization, and other life-sustaining interventions.

If a patient who previously signed a DNR order verbally states they have changed their mind and now want resuscitation, what should the PAR do?

Answer: Immediately inform the nursing staff and document the patient's expressed wish to revoke the DNR

A competent patient can revoke an advance directive or DNR at any time verbally or in writing; the care team must be notified immediately and the change documented.

Who has the legal authority to revoke a patient's advance directive?

Answer: The patient themselves, at any time while competent

Only the patient who created the advance directive can revoke it, which they may do at any time as long as they retain decision-making capacity.

What is implied consent?

Answer: Consent assumed in emergency situations when a patient is unconscious and cannot provide consent

Implied consent applies in emergency situations where a patient is unable to give consent and delay of treatment would result in death or serious harm — the law assumes the patient would consent if able.