What should be done before performing any medical procedure on a patient?

Before performing any medical procedure on a patient, obtaining necessary consent is a critical step that must be completed. Consent indicates that the patient understands the procedure being performed and agrees to it willingly, which is essential for respecting patient autonomy and protecting both the patient and healthcare provider legally.

While educating the patient about the procedure and evaluating their understanding are important elements of the consent process, these steps inherently lead to the requirement of obtaining consent. The patient must be fully informed and competent to make a decision regarding their own care, which is where consent plays a pivotal role.

Assessing vital signs, although important for patient safety, is typically part of the pre-procedural assessment rather than a prerequisite for getting consent. Thus, while vital signs provide valuable information about the patient's current health status, they do not replace the necessity for informed consent prior to conducting a medical procedure.