There are two sets of
consent forms contained in Appendix C. The first
form you will see in each set is an original copy of a consent
used by a major medical center. The second form in each
set is a revision of that original using some of the standard
plain language techniques discussed in this guide to increase
readability. Down the margins of this revised form, you
will see arrows and boxes describing the types of changes
that were made for your comparison with the originals. These
are mostly formatting changes. The language in the original
documents was also changed to reduce the reading level.
The third document in each set is a final “stepped
up” revision. These third-level forms employ techniques
that may or may not be practical in your respective clinical
settings, but represent best practices in achieving the
best possible comprehension in patients during the informed
consent process. These samples are adapted from concepts and approaches by Glodfarb and DuBay (2006) and Queensland Health (retrieved from http://www.health.qld.goc.au).
Note: The content in the original consent
forms was produced by the medical institution that kindly
shared them. Our use of these particular forms was for illustrative
purposes only and should not be construed as a suggestion
on our part that the content is an ideal outline or template
for use in other institutions. That decision is partially
regulated by state and federal law and regulations
and ultimately determined by each individual health care
organization. The goal of providing these “typical”
samples is simply to show how the techniques discussed in
this guide can be applied to increase the readability of
your consent forms and provide improved patient understanding.
