Informed Consent
The documented process by which a patient voluntarily agrees to a proposed treatment after receiving and comprehending relevant information about its risks, benefits, and alternatives.
Full Definition
Informed consent in mental health services is both a legal requirement and an ethical cornerstone, requiring that a clinician disclose sufficient information—diagnosis, proposed treatment, risks, benefits, and alternatives—for a patient to make a voluntary and competent decision. It is documented through a signed consent form and often referenced in progress notes, particularly when initiating psychotropic medications or electroconvulsive therapy. Editors must ensure the compound adjective is always hyphenated as 'informed-consent form' or 'informed-consent process' when used as a modifier, but appears without a hyphen in noun use ('the patient provided informed consent'). 'Consent' alone is not equivalent; the 'informed' component has specific legal significance.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate as a compound modifier ('informed-consent form') but not as a noun phrase ('informed consent was obtained'). 'Assent' applies to minors or those lacking full capacity; it is not synonymous.
In Context
- "The prescriber documented that informed consent was obtained prior to initiating clozapine therapy." — Medication Management Note
- "The informed-consent form must be signed and dated before any invasive psychiatric procedure is performed." — Clinical Procedure Protocol