Utilidad del consentimiento informado para reducir problemas médico legales en procedimientos invasivos en neonatos críticos, maternidad Santa Rosa, 2024.

Abstract

Informed consent is a medically relevant process through which agreements are signed regarding necessary treatments for patients. It establishes fundamental principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice in medical practice, necessary to safeguard the safety of patients and healthcare professionals. Therefore, it requires rigorous monitoring and regularization of the formal process. This research addressed the topic of informed consent applied in the neonatal intensive care unit of the Santa Rosa Maternity Hospital. The main objective was to analyze the usefulness of informed consent in reducing medicolegal problems in invasive procedures in the NICU. This research was conducted through a comprehensive review of 235 documented clinical cases, a rigorous survey, evaluation of the data obtained, and correlation analysis of the variables to verify whether a proper informed consent process actually prevents medicolegal problems. Among the findings of this research is that a large percentage of the physicians at this institution are aware of the mandatory nature of the process. However, deficiencies were evident in the process requirements, specifically in the documentation of refusals, in addition to concerns that, although healthcare personnel are willing to comply with professional ethics, they expressed a lack of full awareness of the legal implications. Therefore, the study concludes that the correlation between the application of informed consent does not present a significant gap in the prevention of medicolegal problems.