title: A survey on surgeons' perceived quality of the informed consent process in a Swiss paediatric surgery unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the levels of satisfaction and opinions on the usefulness of the informed consent form currently in use in our Paediatric Surgery Department.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study carried out via interviews of senior paediatric surgeons, based on a questionnaire built up from reference criteria in the literature and public health law.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physicians with between 2 and 35 years experience of paediatric surgery, with a participation rate of 92 %, agreed on the definition of an informed consent form, were satisfied with the form in use and did not wish to modify its structure. The study revealed that signing the form was viewed as mandatory, but meant different things to different participants, who diverged over whom that signature protected. Finally, all respondents were in agreement over what information was necessary for parents of children requiring surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Paediatric surgeons seemed to be satisfied with the informed consent form in use. Most of them did not identify that the first aim of the informed consent form is to give the patient adequate information to allow him to base his consent, which is a legal obligation, the protection of physicians by the formalisation and proof of the informed consent being secondary. Few surgeons brought up the fact that the foremost stakeholder in paediatric surgery are the children themselves and that their opinions are not always sought. In the future, moving from informed consent process to shared decision-making, a more active bidirectional exchange may be strongly considered. Involving children in such vital decisions should become the norm while keeping in mind their level of maturity.
authors: Peadiatric surgery Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Guinand
authors: Peadiatric Surgery Private Practice, 1003 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Gapany
authors: General Management of the University Hospital, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Jeanne-Pascale
authors: JP
authors: Simon
authors: General Management of the University Hospital, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Jean-Blaise
authors: JB
authors: Wasserfallen
authors: Peadiatric surgery Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Jean-Marc
authors: JM
authors: Joseph