Evaluating the Informed Consent Process: Insights from Post-Operative Experiences in Pharmaceutical Care

Background: An informed consent must be obtained legally and ethically before invasive or high-risk therapeutic procedures are performed. It is defined as the "process of communication between a patients and healthcare professionals that leads in the patient's permission or agreement to undergo any specific medical procedure. Aim: To investigate informed consent’s practices and determine whether the persons who have signed for surgical treatments have a sufficient understanding about the process of informed consent. Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted at the Rehman Medical Institute (RMI) Peshawar. Using Simple Random Probability Sampling Technique; a sample of 108 surgical patients was recruited. Data was collected using closed ended interview schedule. The validity of the redesigned instrument was evaluated by a panel of specialists, including a research supervisor and surgical practitioners. To analyze data a descriptive statistic will be used. The computer’s software, Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 20) will be used for data analysis and interpretation. Result: The sample size was 108 patients, with a 100% response rate. A total of 108 patients (89 male and 19 female) were randomly selected for post-operative interviews. Out of 108 patients, all the patients gave and signed the pre-operative informed consent process form on their own. Only 21 (19.44%) patients already knew about the informed consent process because they had almost a bachelor's degree education. Only 31 patients (28.70%) read and fully understood the surgical informed consent process form. And 106 (98.14%) had their consent taken by a young doctor rather than the surgeon who would be doing the surgery. Conclusion: Our study revealed that quality of informed consent process is limited at RMI Hayatabad Peshawar, due to surgeons making little or no attempt to educate their patients on this subject and the informed consent form is only available in English, with no verified translation into the patient's mother tongue.