Informed consent in emergency settings.
It is often difficult for emergency physicians to comply with the doctrine of informed consent. Patients suffering true emergencies require immediate treatment, and patients who are unable to give consent, because they are either incompetent or underage, are seen frequently in emergency departments. We examine the legal requirements of informed consent in emergency settings, with specific examples illustrated by Connecticut statutes General guidelines for developing departmental policies are suggested.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003237:Connecticut; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D001523:Mental Disorders