"Treatment Consent Form" for nursing school?

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Oct 29, 2006

I begin nursing school in January, and have lots of forms to fill out. I have no problem with all but one of them. This form is a treatment consent form and it states that "attendance in the program will not be allowed" without it. Here is what I am required to sign, verbatum:
"I hereby give my consent to XXXXX, under emergency conditions, or when I am unable to be contacted, for administration of anesthesia and performance of any operation, any special examination and/or treatment necessary and advisable by the Employee/Student Heath Office."
"I also consent to any immunization advised by the Employee/Student Heath Office."
Is this a normal and common type of consent? I bolded the second part b/c I do not like the wording of it! I want the right to refuse certain vaccines, such as small pox and meningitis, and do not want to be forced out of the program just because I sign this form and refuse an "immunization advised."
I would love to hear from other nurses and students about this. Am I normal to question this kind of consent?

WTH????? We had to have MMR and varicella vaccines or titers, but we were allowed to refuse, Hep B for example. I'm more concerned about the consent for anesthesia and operation?????? Are they kidding????

TazziRN, RN · Oct 29, 2006

Write on the bottom that you will NOT consent to all immunizations without being given detailed info at the time of occurence about each vax and why you need it, and that you reserve the right to refuse. Then sign that portion. See what happens. I don't think this is legal.

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2006

I think this is just a standard consent for treatment form. It's the same thing as like when you go on a tour and the tour company wants you to sign a medical consent form. It's just to be used for consent in cases of emergency if it ever occurs.

As far as the immunizations...I don't know. Nursing schools do have the right to require certain immunizations. I'd talk with them about that.

LaceyRN · Oct 29, 2006

WTH????? We had to have MMR and varicella vaccines or titers, but we were allowed to refuse, Hep B for example. I'm more concerned about the consent for anesthesia and operation?????? Are they kidding????

Well, another form is for my physician to fill out and I MUST have 2 MMR, varicella (vac or titer), PPD (tuberculosis skin test), Tetorifice. Then I have another form that I must fill out to either get vaccinated or opt out of Hep B and meingococcal. All of this is fine- I have not prob with. It's just the way the content is phrased for other "advised" immunizations, and also the anesthesia/ surgery thing is starting to bug me. I don't mind the emergency consent part of it, b/c if I am unconscious that's fine, but the other part that says "or when I am unable to be contacted"... WTH does that mean?! How are they going to operate on me if I can't be contacted?-very weird.

I think I am going to see if I can find a reasonably priced lawyer to look over this.

LaceyRN · Oct 29, 2006

I had another thought, what if I CHANGED the consent form- basically if I typed it up to look identical but changed the wording and then signed. I doubt it would be noticed that anything was changed, but then I would prob feel guilty that it was an unethical thing to do. In essence I would be tricking them. I just don't know exactly what to do about this!

nicolel1182 · Oct 29, 2006

I would just sign it, and stop trying to be so difficult, theres gotta be at least one person that always has to twist everything around. How likely is it that you are going to need to have surgury, and if you do, you better be happy you signed the consent.

and what type of person wants to change the whole consent form to their suit, that is Fraud! You don't need a lawyer, and you don't need to change the paper, just sign it and enjoy nursing school.

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2006

I had another thought, what if I CHANGED the consent form- basically if I typed it up to look identical but changed the wording and then signed. I doubt it would be noticed that anything was changed, but then I would prob feel guilty that it was an unethical thing to do. In essence I would be tricking them. I just don't know exactly what to do about this!

That would be fraudulent and unethical. Why don't you just talk to them at teh nursing school?

Cherish · Oct 29, 2006

Well first off if you have a LIVING WILL the person you assign as the caretaker has responsibility over you and any procedures of yourself in the likelihood that you can not do it yourself (unless they have no contact). My mother is my caretaker I did a Living Will in '05 when I was deploying to Iraq. So they couldn't really do anything if you did sign this, and allowed yourself to do a Living Will becauce the Living Will Caretaker is the ULTIMATE final say on any procedures you have done. You will be fine, talk to the school, your school SHOULD have an emergency contact from you, you DID put one on the application right? Maybe you should also put 2 emergency contacts on that form too, so they know to atleast contact those individuals if anything were to happen to you.

LaceyRN · Oct 29, 2006

and what type of person wants to change the whole consent form to their suit, that is Fraud!

Hey, I never said I was going to actually change it, I just threw the idea out there and stated that I would consider it unethical to do so. Obviously, you somehow missed that part!

Anyway, I think I will call the health office of the school with my concerns. Maybe there are people out there who have no problem being forced to take an immunization. I, however, am not one of them.

TazziRN, RN · Oct 29, 2006

I would just sign it, and stop trying to be so difficult, theres gotta be at least one person that always has to twist everything around. How likely is it that you are going to need to have surgury, and if you do, you better be happy you signed the consent.
and what type of person wants to change the whole consent form to their suit, that is Fraud! You don't need a lawyer, and you don't need to change the paper, just sign it and enjoy nursing school.

So she should sign something she doesn't agree with? Not the emergency care part, but the other stuff? She should give consent now without having the option of saying No? She has every right to refuse to sign a medical consent; that may keep her out of THAT school, but she has the right. If I were in her shoes I would have a problem with this too. She CAN change the wording but she has to let the school know she's changing it. Changing it without telling them may be fraud, but making her sign a consent that she doesn't agree with is coercion.

TazziRN, RN · Oct 29, 2006

Also y are you against immunizations. If I even thought of saying no to any immunizations when I was in the Army they would have reprimanded me (money taken out of my pocket, reduced rank, you name it).

She's not against vax, she's against being told she WILL take them. And military life is different than civilian life, when you belong to Unca Sam you do what he says. How many employers can court martial you for fraternization??