Informed consent: are we doing enough?
We report our findings in a prospective, randomised study of patient recall of verbal versus written preoperative warnings. There were 132 patients in the verbal group and 137 in the written group, with a similar age and sex distribution in both groups. Four of the seven preoperative warnings were remembered significantly better by the group receiving the written warnings (P < 0.001-0.05). However, the mean number of warnings recalled was fewer than 3 in the verbal group, and fewer than 4 (P = 0.0057) in the written group (Mann-Whitney U-test). Patients given verbal warnings were less able to recall them than those receiving written warnings. The inference is that they entered into surgery less well informed.
Armstrong
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Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Northern General Hospital NHS Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Cole
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D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003142:Communication; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D013511:Minor Surgical Procedures; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013518:Surgery, Plastic