A Study on the In-Patients' Experiences of Informed Consent

사전동의(Informed Consent)에 관한 입원환자의 경험

Purpose: This study was carried out to understand the in-patients' experiences related on informed consent for examination, treatment or surgery. Method: The study was conducted with 578 patients who were admitted to the departments of internal medicine and surgery for examination, treatment or surgery requiring informed consent from November 1 to 30, 2004 at three general hospitals in Daegu, Busan and Gyeongsangbuk-do. The data was analyzed by using SPSS 11.5 for Windows. Results: Although the one who explains during the process of informed consent should be doctors, 6.6% was informed by nurses or others. In addition, the majority has been told for complications and risk while relatively fewer patients were informed for necessity, method and costs of the procedure, and no one ever heard of other alternatives or the right to terminate the procedure at any time. While 40% of patients were not the final decision-makers of examination, treatment or surgery, 11.9% of patients answered their opinions were not considered during the final decision-making process. Conclusion: The study suggest that the ethically appropriate informed consent has not been achieved in the clinical practice, and therefore it is necessary to develop the specific behavioral guidelines and nursing ethics education program for nurses in order to settle down the desirable informed consent at the dimension of nursing management.