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Dissertation
The medical competency scale: a method for determining competency to give informed consent in the medical setting
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University
Mar 1999
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00009175
Abstract
The issue of competency to give informed consent to medical treatments arises frequently in medical settings. This study proposed a new method for assessing competency, the Medical Competency Scale (MCS). The MCS was developed to aid health care providers in the objective assessment of competency. The MCS consists of three vignettes that describe medical procedures, ranging from low risk to high risk procedures, followed by questions based on the legal standards of competency. This study was designed to explore the psychometric properties of the MCS. One aspect of validity was studied by comparing the MCS to standardized neuropsychological tests of attention, memory, reasoning, judgment and abstract reasoning. The literature suggests that these areas of cognitive functioning are necessary for individuals to make competent decisions. Results of this study indicated that the MCS is a reliable measure of competency and has good inter-rater reliability. The MCS was found to be a valid measure of competency to give informed consent, and results suggested that the MCS is a better measure of competency than the Mini Mental State Exam. Although it has been suggested that competency should be measured on a continuum, with decisions regarding high risk procedures demanding greater cognitive abilities than low risk procedures, this study did not support this notion.
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Details
- Title
- The medical competency scale
- Creators
- Colleen Marie Kennedy
- Contributors
- J. Michael Williams (Advisor) - Drexel University, Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University (1993-1996, 1998-2002)
- Awarding Institution
- Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- v, 99 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University (1993-1996, 1998-2002); Clinical and Health Psychology [Historical]; School of Health Professions (1998-2000)
- Other Identifier
- 991021888832004721