Chapter 27: Living with and beyond cancer
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Legal and professional issues
Competencies
All practitioners should be assessed by a competent practice facilitator prior to performing procedures on their own. Nurses must always operate within their scope of practice as set out by their profession (NMC [202]). Learning tools may include competency‐based workbooks.
Consent
Those patients who are suitable for areolar tattooing must be consented by an appropriately trained member of the surgical team. Written information is supplied to the patient and they must have the opportunity to read and understand this before signing a standard consent form. Written consent is often undertaken several days in advance of the planned procedure and therefore secondary verbal consent should be obtained immediately prior to carrying out the procedure.
Education
The patient's co‐operation is essential to ensure the procedure is undertaken safely. All patients should be given access to information and support in a manner that they understand (DH [80], NMC [199]). Written information should be available and patients often access information via the internet at sites such as www.macmillan.org.uk. Consideration must be given to those patients with learning disabilities, language barriers or sensory deficit (DH [82]).
