Final answer:
When a 69-year-old unconscious patient is brought in for emergency care and blood tests are ordered, the type of consent applicable is implied consent. It allows for necessary medical treatment when the patient is unable to communicate their wishes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scenario describes a case in which a 69-year-old unconscious patient is brought into the emergency department where several blood tests are ordered. In this situation, the type of consent that is applicable is implied consent. Implied consent is understood in situations where a patient is unable to provide explicit or informed consent, such as when they are unconscious or in a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical intervention. Under these circumstances, it's presumed that the patient would consent to necessary medical treatment if they were able to do so. This contrasts with informed consent, which involves the patient being given detailed information about the treatment options, risks, benefits, and alternatives, and then providing their consent based on this information. In the case of an unconscious patient in need of urgent medical care, obtaining informed consent beforehand is not possible.