Nurses need to be aware of the importance of patient consent in relation to issues such as confidentiality or research participation. They also need to understand the importance of consent to care. This article, the second in a two-part series, focuses on consent to treatment and other therapeutic interventions, such as assistance with personal care. It considers what valid consent means in practice, and explores the conditions that must be satisfied for consent to both uphold a patient's right to autonomy and provide a sound legal defence.lthoug