I do believe that using alternative forms of community consent can be effective in many patient populations. Based on this article, the research study indicated that the surrogates’ understanding of the process of informed consent was improved when using the computer based education module (Shelton et al., 2015). The majority of patients who need intensive care therapy can’t give informed consent to participate in research. This research is needed so this population of patients have the greatest opportunity for improved outcomes (Dobb, 2015). The ability to comprehend and make an informed decision about a research study is difficult. Many of the documents have 10 or more pages explaining the research study and consent needed (Dobb, 2015). Approaching family members should be handled with care. They are under extreme amounts of stress when having a loved one in critical care.
There are other patient groups that need the help of surrogates. Patients with dementia, young children, psychiatric illness, and patients with other cognitive impairments. These other groups lack the competence in providing informed consent for research (Dobb, 2015).
How would you feel if your medical records were examined and included in research without your consent based on an illness in the past?
If my medical records were used without out my permission, I would certainly feel as though my rights were violated. According to Houser (2015), patient’s privacy is about human dignity and the privacy of one’s own person. As a patient, you have the right to privacy of your own health information and of the process of any research. One very important law is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), this federal regulation protects patient’s rights to privacy (Houser, 2015).Do you think that alternative forms of community consent should be actively pursued? DO YOU AGREE OR NOT WHY?