Which of the following is NOT a type of consent?

• A. Expressed
• B. Written
• C. Implied
• D. Verbal

Answer: (D)

Consent in healthcare falls into two broad forms: expressed and implied. Expressed consent is when the patient clearly agrees to a procedure, and that agreement can be shown either by a written form or by stating assent verbally. Written consent is simply a formal way to document that expressed agreement. Verbal consent is another way to express approval, so it’s not a separate category on its own but a mode of expressing consent within the expressed category. Implied consent, on the other hand, is inferred from the patient’s actions or the clinical circumstances when immediate care is needed and there isn’t time to obtain explicit agreement.

So, verbal consent isn’t considered a distinct type of consent because it’s encompassed under expressed consent as a way a patient can express agreement.