Implied consent and nursing practice: ethical or convenient?
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Updated: May 22, 2026

Working with Human Tissues for Translational Cancer Research
Published on: November 26, 2015
1School of Nursing, University of Ballarat, PO Box 663, University Drive, Mount Helen, Ballarat, Victoria 3353, Australia. c.cole@ballarat.edu.au
Abstract:
Nursing professionals in a variety of practice settings routinely use implied consent. This form of consent is used in place of or in conjunction with informed or explicit consent. This article looks at one aspect of a qualitative exploratory study conducted in a Day of Surgery Admission unit. This article focuses on the examination of nurses' understandings of implied consent and its use in patient care in nursing practice. Data were collected through one-on-one interviews and analysed using a thematic analysis. Nurses participating in this study revealed that they routinely used implied consent in their nursing practice. This article will look at whether implied consent supports or impedes a patient's autonomy.
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