Initiating treatment on a patient without requesting permission may be considered which legal/ethical term?

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Starting treatment without a patient’s permission is battery—the intentional, nonconsensual contact or touching during care. Patients have the right to consent to what is done to their bodies, and informed consent is the process of obtaining that permission after discussing risks, benefits, and alternatives. Battery differs from assault, which is about making someone fear that harmful contact is imminent, while there is no actual contact. Negligence, on the other hand, involves failing to meet a standard of care and causing harm, but it’s not defined by the lack of consent. There is an exception in emergencies: when a patient cannot consent and immediate action is necessary to save life or prevent serious harm, implied consent allows treatment. Otherwise, starting treatment without permission is considered battery.