Values grounding the informed consent in medical practice: theory and practice

Abstract

This research aims to identify the significance of the informed consent (IC) in the medical staff’s daily practice. The research does not aim to validate a hypothesis, but it does aim to identify what meaning professionals give to the ethical tools they use. We wish to explore whether or not IC is understood by medical staff as a means of respecting patient’s autonomy, or whether it acts as a protective measure for health care staff. To identify the meanings attributed to IC by health professionals in health care institutions, we developed and conducted individual interviews and analyzed the acquired data using a grounded theory (GT) qualitative approach.