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R Copelan

Publications and source records attributed to R Copelan.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

Physicians' confusion demonstrated by competency requests.

A study was performed at a Veteran's Administration (VA) Hospital of the requests for competency evaluations made by medical and surgical services to a psychiatric consultant service. Since less than half the requests were found to be appropriate and specific, this study emphasizes the need for forensic psychiatrists to educate our nonpsychiatric colleagues about the problems engendered by confusion regarding competency. To do so, psychiatrists as well as other physicians and mental health professionals must be trained in discriminating between different types of competencies and the criteria appropriate for each. Because of continuing legal developments, it is becoming increasingly essential to be precise not only about the specific purpose for a competency request but also about the criteria necessary for evaluating different types of competencies. Forensic psychiatrists could play an important role in the education process to clarify the confusion. This study highlights the need for clarity and education concerning competency issues.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Competence to give informed consent for medical procedures.

This study shows that referrals to psychiatry for evaluation for competence to give informed consent generally were made on patients who refused medical treatment. In this sample of referred patients, the only patients found to be incompetent to give informed consent were those with organic brain syndromes. No one with either schizophrenia or depression was found to be incompetent. It is possible that schizophrenic and depressed patients may generally be competent to give informed consent to medical treatment. This finding might be true notwithstanding the fact that many such patients have been found in other studies to be incompetent to consent to voluntary psychiatric treatment. For example, a patient may have delusions that others can read his mind and thoughts, but he still can understand that he needs dialysis for renal failure. Alternatively, it may be relatively rare that an emergency procedure is necessary before a patient's psychosis can be brought under control and consequently internists and surgeons themselves may prefer to wait. The significance of the results is unclear. Because of active interest in the doctrine of informed consent for psychiatric and medical patients by both physicians and attorneys and the few studies within this population, there is a strong need for more study regarding competence to give informed consent. Further study is especially important for psychotic patients for whom psychiatric consultation is not requested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗