Implied consent is a type of consent in which treatment is given when the patient is unable to give consent.

• A. Informed consent
• B. Implied consent
• C. Expressed consent
• D. Written consent

Answer: (B)

Implied consent is when care is provided because the patient cannot give consent, and urgent treatment is needed to prevent harm. This usually happens in emergencies where the patient is unconscious or unable to communicate, so clinicians proceed based on what they reasonably believe the patient would want to happen if able. The approach relies on acting in the patient’s best interest and following applicable laws and facility policies. If or when the patient regains capacity, explicit consent should be obtained for ongoing or non-emergency care. Informed consent requires presenting information about the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives and obtaining the patient’s voluntary agreement. Expressed consent is explicit approval, either spoken or written, and written consent is simply the documented form of that approval. The main idea is that implied consent covers urgent situations where the patient can’t voice a decision, while the other forms depend on the patient’s ability to actively agree.