When it comes to giving consent for various procedures or situations, offering verbal approval is no longer an option. The signing of a written affidavit attesting to consent is the most accepted way for an individual to grant permission for a particular act. Overall, there are three basic types of consent forms: the medical and dental consent form, parental consent form and the employment consent form.
A medical and dental consent form is frequently used by hospitals, doctors and dentists to gain authorization from a patient to proceed with a specific course of treatment. The form typically states the patient has been informed of his condition, understands the proposed plan of treatment and is aware of any potential risks involved with the treatment. The form will also generally release the hospital or individual practitioner from liability should any adverse effects from the treatment occur.
The parental consent forms are the largest category of forms available. It includes three types of consent forms—the parental medical and dental consent form, temporary guardianship consent form and the parental travel consent form. Each of the forms are used when minor children are involved and cannot legally give consent on their own. A parent or legal guardian is required to sign the form on behalf of the child. In some cases, these rights can be granted to a non-parent or legal guardian with the parent's prior consent.
The parental medical and dental consent form works in the same manner as the general medical and dental consent version with the main difference being that it gives the parent the responsibility of granting consent on behalf of the minor child before any procedure takes place. Parental travel forms are used when a minor child is being accompanied during travel by a non-parent or legal guardian. This form is also typically accompanied by an emergency medical and dental consent, which states that the person traveling with the child has the authority to permit emergency medical or dental treatment in the event that the parent of legal guardian cannot be reached to grant the consent. Temporary guardianship forms allow a parent to grant temporary parental rights to a non-legal guardian on behalf of the child. These are typically used when a parent is incapacitated or unavailable and the minor child is being cared for by a close friend who would not otherwise have any parental rights over the child.
Employment consent forms are basically authorizations for a potential employer to check a job applicant's background and/or credit report. They are designed to ensure the applicant's background is free of any legal issues and that his credit is in good standing. The credit check form is typically only used for jobs that would require the applicant to be involved with financial matters within the company. These forms may also be used for non-employment situations, such as applying for a car loan, purchasing a home or obtaining various security clearances.