From informed to empowered consent.

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Nursing Ethics
• Feminist Theory

Background:

• Informed consent is a cornerstone of ethical healthcare, yet its practical application faces significant challenges.
• Current emphasis on patient autonomy as the primary justification for consent is questioned.
• Existing ethical frameworks like principlism may be inadequate for addressing consent issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate the concept and practice of informed consent in healthcare.
• To propose an alternative ethical framework for consent practices.
• To advocate for a shift from "informed consent" to "empowered consent."

Main Methods:

• Review of leading conceptions of informed consent.
• Feminist critique of existing consent models.
• Adoption of a feminist empowerment framework as an alternative ethical theory.

Main Results:

• Informed consent is ethically incomplete and often fails in clinical practice.
• Human dignity is proposed as a superior ethical justification over autonomy.
• A feminist empowerment framework offers a more practical and comprehensive lens for consent.

Conclusions:

• The concept of informed consent should be redefined as "empowered consent."
• Nursing expertise is crucial for improving consent practices.
• Transdisciplinary collaboration is essential for effective consent processes beyond the patient-physician dyad.