Final answer:
Consent is generally mandatory for patient transport, but exceptions exist where immediate care is needed and the patient can't consent. Parents can consent for minors, and modern standards are stringent on consent, as illustrated by the Henrietta Lacks case.
Step-by-step explanation:
If your patient is being transported without their consent, are you allowed to proceed with transport even if you don't have the appropriate documentation/escort? The answer is generally b. No, consent is mandatory. However, there are very specific circumstances in which a patient can be transported without their express consent. Such circumstances typically involve situations where the patient is unable to give consent due to their medical condition, and not having immediate medical intervention would lead to harm. Parents can provide consent on behalf of their children, as minors are typically not viewed as competent to consent for themselves. In the historical case of Henrietta Lacks, tissues were taken without informed consent, which by current standards would be both unethical and illegal. The ethics of using her tissues for research when they were obtained without consent remain controversial.
It's important to emphasize that every patient has the right to informed consent and that transporting a patient without consent and without proper documentation or escort is only permissible under strict conditions which prioritize the patient's well-being and safety. These conditions include scenarios where the lack of immediate transport and medical care might result in irreversible harm or endanger the patient's life.