College Connection | Spring 2025
Panel provides advice on obtaining informed client consent
College Connection | Spring 2025
LEARNING IN PRACTICE
Panel provides advice on obtaining informed client consent
Case Summary
The member examined a cat for a wound repair. The cat was febrile with swelling and purulent discharge from the wound. The cat was treated with antibiotics( Clavaseptin), antiinflammatory medication( Metacam), analgesics( Buprenorphine), an appetite stimulant( Mirtazapine), and sugar bandages on the wound. The next day, a technician flushed the wound and changed the bandages. Two days later, the member observed swelling and discharge; the wound was cleaned and a topical anesthetic was applied. The wound was closed with surgical staples and covered with soft padded bandages.
The concerns in this case focused on informed client and the veterinary technician applying the staples.
Case Outcomes
The Complaints Committee panel decided the allegations did not warrant a referral to the Discipline Committee. The panel advised the member of their professional responsibility to obtain informed consent in accordance with the requirements of the Professional Practice Standard, Informed Client Consent.
Advice is a remedial tool intended to be educative and not punitive and assists licensed members in correcting specific areas of practice identified by the panel as problematic.
Case Considerations
In considering the complaint, the Complaints Committee panel reviewed medical records and written submissions. As is standard for all investigations, the panel considered previous proceedings, if any.
The client was concerned when, at their third clinic visit about the wound, they left the cat for treatment and did not receive an update after the cat was assessed. The client later learned the wound had reopened and the technician placed staples, but did not seek informed consent first. The client requested a call from the member but did not receive one.
The member indicated the cat’ s foot was significantly purulent. However, when they went to speak to the client, the client had left and a contact number had not been taken. The client wanted the cat to be ready when they returned. The member believed the client would have wanted the cat’ s feet re-wrapped to prevent delay when they came to pick her up.
When the client returned, the member was involved in another case and asked the veterinary technician to inform the client about the staples and the ongoing bandage changes.
While the member proceeded in the cat’ s best interest, it is the member’ s professional responsibility to obtain informed client consent to provide treatment. This includes ensuring clients understand the nature of the proposed treatment, potential risks and benefits, alternative treatments if applicable, and any associated costs before proceeding.
With regard to the veterinary technician applying the staples, the member indicated careful apposition and positioning required two people. The member indicated this was a collaborative effort with the technician applying some staples to ensure the wound margins were well apposed, allowing the member to apply the final staples when their hands were free.
The panel noted the assistance and supervision of the auxiliary team member falls under the Professional Practice Standard, Delegation. The staple procedure was performed under the member’ s immediate supervision and posed minimal risk of harm to the patient. In the panel’ s opinion, the member’ s actions were reasonable.
References
• Professional Practice Standard, Informed Client Consent & Guide
• Professional Practice Standard, Delegation
Veterinarians have a responsibility to provide safe, quality care. The College assists veterinarians in doing so when matters are reviewed by the Complaints Committee. The public has a right to ask questions about the care that was provided to their animal( s) and this process provides veterinarians with feedback on whether they have met the standards of practice or whether there are improvements needed to mitigate risks in practice. The Committee provides advice or may request a veterinarian enter into an undertaking when remediation would reduce risks and support a veterinarian in meeting the standard of practice. Only the most serious cases, where there is bad intent, incompetence, reckless behaviour, or a history of failure to remediate at-risk behaviour are referred to the Discipline Committee for a discipline hearing to determine if an act of professional misconduct or serious neglect may have occurred. This example is taken from a case that was reviewed by the Complaints Committee and is offered as a self-reflection tool to support veterinarians in understanding how to meet the standards of practice.
Public confidence in veterinary regulation cvo. org 7