ARRT Patient Care Practice Exam

What conditions must be met for patient consent to be considered valid?

1. Patient must sign before sedation

2. Physician named must perform the procedure

3. All blanks on the consent form must be filled

4. All of the above

The correct answer is: Physician named must perform the procedure

For patient consent to be considered valid, certain conditions must be met that ensure the patient's autonomy and understanding of the procedure to be performed. One of these critical conditions is that the physician named in the consent form must indeed be the one to perform the procedure. This ensures that the patient is aware of who will carry out their care, fostering trust and clarity in the patient-physician relationship. Informed consent is more than just a signature; it encompasses the understanding of what the procedure involves, its risks and benefits, and what alternative options there might be. If a different physician performs the procedure than the one whom the patient consented, it could raise questions about the validity of that consent, as the patient was not fully informed about who would be directly administering their care. While other considerations, such as ensuring that the consent is obtained prior to sedation and that forms are properly filled out, are important aspects of the consent process, the core of valid consent fundamentally lies in the patient's informed agreement with the healthcare provider who will be responsible for the procedure.