Erratic consent and lability of discernment

Abstract

Consent and discernment are two important notions, constantly present in the daily life of psychiatric caregivers. The Haute Autorité de santé sheds valuable light on discernment by defining it in terms of five characteristics. As for consent, it is based on the fundamental principle of an agreement given on a proposal with a perception of the stakes by the different parties. The consequences within the multidisciplinary team are multiple, between the information recorded in the shared medical record, the care decisions according to the clinic and the impact on the patients' group. These are all serious ethical and practical difficulties.