Abstract
Background: The process to obtain valid informed consent in healthcare reflects many aspects. Healthcare professionals that take care of the patient must provide him all the necessary information and verify his understanding, considering individual characteristics. Nurses are one of the main participants in this process. Objective: This study assesses nurses’ perceptions of their role in the informed consent process. Material and Methods: An observational study involving 300 nurses operating in 13 wards of the Padua Hospital, through the submitting of a questionnaire in the period November–December 2018. Results: The final sample is made up of 206 nurses—27 males (13.11%) and 179 females (86.89%). Work experience, on average 15 years, is significant in determining the answers to questions about opinions and experiences. Age is significant in determining how often nurses provide information to the patient’s family members about the actions to be taken after discharge. The ward was decisive in the responses related to information provided to patients on the nursing care level and the actions to be taken after discharge, and the definition of the nurse’s duties. Conclusions: The data collected show the need for interventions to reduce the causes of difficult that the nurse has in informing patients.
Highlights
Informed consent in healthcare is the process throughout patient decides freely and independently whether to start or continue the planned health treatment, after receiving specific information and made understandable to him by the doctor or health team based on their respective skills [1]
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
The ideal completion of the informed consent process may be achieved if surgeons and knowledgeable nurses collaborate for the patient’s good
Summary
Informed consent in healthcare is the process throughout patient decides freely and independently whether to start or continue the planned health treatment, after receiving specific information and made understandable to him by the doctor or health team based on their respective skills [1]. Information and informed consent play an essential role from a legal, as well as ethical point of view [2], as patients have the right to know their state of health, the diagnosis, and treatments available, the risks and probable benefits, and choose any alternative [3]. Disclosure of information and informed consent are relatively new concepts in the patient–physician relationship. They are based primarily on the principle of autonomy, and they have many favorable practical advantages. The practical implementation of these requirements is fraught with difficulties, some of which can cause harm to the patient or be obstacles in fulfilling the moral obligation of beneficence [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
