By Kathy McCollett
Kathy is an Organizational Culture Change Specialist with PHI’s Training and Organizational Development team.
Language is a powerful indicator of organizational culture.
The words we choose—either consciously or unconsciously—influence our actions. We have worked hard in the culture change movement to choose words that reflect home and person-directed values. For example, the term “moving in” is an alternative to “admission” and “walking” replaces “wandering.”
I reflect a lot on language and lately I have been pondering the notion of “informed consent.”
What does “Informed Consent” Really Mean?
If you think about it, we almost all have an opinion about what someone else should do in any given situation. We believe we have good judgment and helpful advice. This is also true of doctors, nurses, dieticians, therapists and others in the long term care professions.
As professionals, we want to do the “right thing” by someone who sees us as more knowledgeable about a certain diagnosis, procedure or treatment. We discuss with the elder or consumer the issue or concern we have in relation to a diagnosis or condition, providing them with the information we think they need in order to make a decision.
Quite naturally, but unfortunately, we usually have an opinion about what we believe the correct decision ought to be, and our perspective is the filter from which we offer the options. All of this is with good intention.
The purpose of the discussion isn’t just to provide information, but to assist the elder/consumer to make a decision related to ongoing care and treatment. What we are looking for through this discussion is what has come to be known as “Informed Consent.” However, the phrase “Informed Consent” infers that if we tell the elder or consumer what we feel they need to know, they will consent to the treatment or procedure.
Informed Choice
At this time, we recognize the right of all persons to self-determination in regards to medical care and treatment. In order to ensure that true choice is being offered and accepted, the person must not believe that the only acceptable way to proceed is to consent to the perspective of the medical professional. Using the phrase “Informed Choice” would better embody the rights of the individual to be informed or otherwise gather the information needed to make a true choice regarding medical treatment.
It is important that the individual has the information available to make the choice, the ability to follow through with their decision, and the right to be responsible for the consequences of those choices.
