Module 5: Informed Consent

Welcome to Module 5

This chapter explores a topic confronted by both health care professionals (HCP)  & patients called informed consent.  This chapter reminds the patient that while competence in the previous chapter was seen as an act of paternalism, informed consent is situated within the domain of autonomy.  As such, it is important for patients to realize that decisions they make to refuse or accept treatment is an extension of their rights & also an affirmation of their autonomy.  This is examined by applying the principles of medical ethics to informed consent & to discuss the landmark cases which went into shaping the appropriate regulations in the HCP-patient relationship.

Module Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Explain the principles of Medical Ethics

2. Identify historical medical cases leading to informed consent

4.  Define informed consent

5.  List the exceptions to obtaining informed consent

(CLO = Course Learning Outcome)

To Do

Please read/watch all of the module learning materials (readings, presentations, videos, etc.) and complete all assignments/assessments listed below. If you have questions, please contact the course instructor or ask in the Questions About This Course forum.

  1. Read the required pages
  2. Watch the video below & as you do so ask yourself about the balance between individual choice and public safety
  3. Assignment 3 will be posted on 3/27 and due on 4/1 as Quincy College is on Spring Holiday from 3/29-3/30
  4. Quiz 2 will be active from 3/28 & due on 4/1 as Quincy College is on Spring Holiday from 3/29-3/30.  (The second quiz will be based on Chapters 6-8.  The review notes for Chapters 6 & 7 are posted below.  The review notes for Chapter 8 will be posted in this module on 3/27.  As this is an open-book quiz use the review material to guide you to know where to concentrate on in the chapter when you are taking the quiz.)
  5. A zoom session (not mandatory) will be available to those interested in discussing this week's material on 3/25 from 3-4pm.  My zoom link will be posted on the announcement tab on 3/25.

Readings and Presentations:

Read Ch.8: 177-189.  Notice how the writer broadens the discussion of the term autonomy to being collective as well as an individual action under certain circumstances. (179)  A discussion follows about the "family-centered model" which is occasionally adopted in the pursuit of autonomy because for some cultures decision making is conducted in a collective manner which includes the family.  You will also see that there are a number of historical medical cases leading to informed consent. (181-187)  Give special attention to both the Nazi Experiments (183), Tuskegee Study (184-185) and the Declaration of Helsinki (188).  The first two of these historical cases involve the misuse of subjects in a medical and research setting.  Consequently, international codes of conduct emerged regarding the ethical treatment & research of patients which was demonstrated with the Declaration of Helsinki.  The doctrine of informed consent focuses upon five major areas: disclosure, understanding, voluntariness, competence and finally the signing of the informed consent document.  The section of informed consent (189-194) explores these five major areas in more detail & so does the corresponding section on exceptions to the doctrine of informed consent. (194-196)  It is important to note that these two approaches are rivals to one another in the discussion of patient autonomy.  It is clear that under certain circumstances patients rights to autonomy can be curbed as the exceptions to the doctrine of informed consent clearly reveal.  

Notes:

QC Medical Ethics Review Notes Chapter 6.docx Download QC Medical Ethics Review Notes Chapter 6.docx

QC Medical Ethics Review Notes Chapter 7.docx Download QC Medical Ethics Review Notes Chapter 7.docx

QC Medical Ethics Review Notes Chapter 8.docx Download QC Medical Ethics Review Notes Chapter 8.docx

 

Videos:

The Vaccine War Links to an external site.

 

Assignments/Assessments:

Complete Assignment 3 & Quiz 2 by 4/1

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