# Informed Consent --- **Informed consent** is consent given by a patient to undergo treatment after they have received all pertinent information about said treatment. It is an [[ethics|ethical]] and [[the law|legal]] requirement of medical practice. It is the physician's duty to gain consent prior to all treatment, but they may delegate this to a [[nursing|nurse]] if appropriate. Information shared in order to obtain informed consent includes: - medical diagnosis and reason for treatment - procedure to be performed - name and qualifications of the person performing the procedure - name of individual(s) assisting with the procedure - risks and benefits of the procedure/surgery - alternative treatments - right to **refuse** or **withdraw** consent at a later date There are some cases where treatment may be given without a patient's informed consent: - When a client is [[the law#Legal Terms|mentally incompetent]] to make a decision and treatment is necessary to preserve life or avoid serious harm - [[involuntary treatment]] is when a patient is admitted to a health care facility against their will - When refusing treatment endangers the life or health of another - During an emergency in which a client is in no condition to exercise judgment - When the client is a child (consent is obtained from parent or surrogate) - In the case of therapeutic privilege, information about a treatment may be withheld if the physician can show that full disclosure would either: - hinder or complicate necessary treatment, or - cause severe psychological harm, or - be so upsetting as to render a rational decision by the client impossible ___