Letitia Asiimwe1
Maureen Nabukalu1 1Mbarara University of Science and Technology, 1410, Mbarara, Uganda
Title: A Perspective Of Post-Operative Patients At Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital
Biography
Biography: Letitia Asiimwe1
Abstract
Background
Informed consent process is a procedure by which the treating healthcare provider discloses appropriate information to a competent patient so that he/she makes a voluntary choice to accept or refuse treatment.
The informed consent process underpins the ethical principle of autonomy; the respect of persons. The main arguments for informed consent rotate around protection of patients’ health, their family and health workers’ welfare, respect for patients’ autonomy, and preventing abusive conduct from medical personnel. It ensures building of trust between patients and medical personnel, allowing self-ownership rights of the patient, ensuring non-domination and finally, the need to protect patients’ sense of integrity.
Objectives
- To ascertain the level of information given to patients regarding the consent process in the pre-operative period
- To assess the understanding of the informed consent process in patients that have been through surgery
Methodology
The study was conducted among ten post-operative patients admitted on the surgical ward at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital using a qualitative method.
The research participants were sampled purposively.
Results
The study found that 7 out of the 10 participants signed the consent form and felt satisfied with the information given them before their surgical operation therefore they were consented and 3 did not sign implying that their consent was not fully obtained.
Regarding the participant’s understanding of the informed consent process, they all acknowledged the fact that it is a very crucial part of health care and especially the signature of a patient in their file before taking them for any surgical operation as it protects the doctor as well as the patient and their family.