Who is ultimately responsible for obtaining consent before a procedure?

The surgeon is ultimately responsible for obtaining consent before a procedure because they are the medical professional who performs the procedure and who has the specific expertise to explain the risks, benefits, and alternatives to the patient. Informed consent is a legal and ethical requirement that ensures the patient understands what will happen and agrees to it voluntarily.

The surgeon typically meets with the patient to discuss the procedure in detail, answering any questions and providing necessary information to ensure that consent is truly informed. This responsibility is vital because it emphasizes the need for a clear understanding between the patient and the provider, fostering trust and transparency in the patient-care process. Other roles, such as the head nurse or operating room manager, may support the process, but they do not carry the primary legal responsibility for obtaining consent. The patient's family may be involved in discussions about care decisions, but it is the surgeon who must obtain the explicit consent from the patient themselves.