Using consentless practices on medical wards-A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Nursing Practice
• Patient Rights

Background:

• Limited research exists on coercive practices in somatic healthcare, unlike in psychiatry.
• Informed consent is a cornerstone of ethical medical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how nurses and staff provide somatic healthcare without informed consent.
• To understand the nature and context of consentless practices in medical wards.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing focus-group interviews.
• Analysis of data through Reflexive Thematic Analysis.
• Participants included 37 healthcare professionals, primarily nurses, from two Swedish hospitals.

Main Results:

• Consentless practices are routinely employed in medical wards.
• These practices are learned informally through observation and mentorship.
• Professional experience influences the adoption and execution of consentless interventions.
• Four key themes emerged: constant use, informal learning, situational adaptation, and influence of experience.

Conclusions:

• Consentless practices are prevalent and familiar to healthcare staff in somatic settings.
• Informal learning and professional experience contribute to the normalization of these practices.
• Ethical concerns arise from the frequent use of consentless care, necessitating improved reflection and education.