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It is very important that physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers advocate for the patient and give proper informed consent. It takes time. It needs to be individualized. Time needs to be set aside for questions and answers. Many of bad results can happen if informed consent is not obtained properly.

- by bair on Jan 26, 2006 at 11:56 PM | link

This is a time,that if you don't get proper informed consent your setting yourself and facility up for problems. It's important to have it and make sure the patient and family members know all angles.

- by AJ Groce on Jan 27, 2006 at 1:01 AM | link

What is interesting about this article is that no mention of how many physicans don't act responsibly when it comes to informed consent,many physicians mistakenly believe that nurses should be asking the patient for permission to cut them open, the consents are many times written in scraggly handwriting that no one can decipher, much less a patient with literacy issues and anxiety about the procedure. Forget about the New York times how about putting the thumb on these physicians to fully explain what it is they plan to do, and actually stay in the room long enough to answer their questions.

- by JEL on Jan 27, 2006 at 7:15 PM | link

I know informed consent is important to me because I want to know exactly what is going to happen to me. I want to know what the risks are so I can make an educated decision. I have seen many physicians brush off informed consent so many times because they think they know what is best for the patient. A form is handed to the patient for him/her to sign (that's the extent of their informed consent). The patient ultimately has to make the decision and should be well informed. Time should be taken by the physician to explain everything so the patient is comfortable and the physician is protected legally.

- by charlotte on Jan 28, 2006 at 11:48 PM | link

As a nurse I know there are many times the doctor does come in and gives a brief and quick run down of what a procedure or surgery entails has the patient sign the paper and leaves. Next thing you know the patient is asking you, the nurse, what will be done and has no idea of what is about to happen. The critical care doctor is right. A doctor should explain what is about to happen and then have the patient explain it back to them in their own words. Often times the doctor uses medical terms that a patient doesn't understand and the patient doesn't think to ask what the definition of the term is. If they have to reiterate it in their own words then things will come out clearer in the patient's head.

- by LeahChim on Jan 30, 2006 at 10:25 PM | link

On the other hand, I've had patients mad at me because I'm a fanatic about informed consent. Some people want their doctor to make the decisions and I at least went through the motions of forcing them to decide.
(Sometimes it does fell like force or abuse of the patient. But, if I'm going to make a mistake, it will be because I talked too much. Is anyone surprised?)

- by Beverly on Jan 31, 2006 at 6:42 AM | link