Overview of Parental Consent
What it is
The Parental Consent module is a feature inside Lab Symplified that lets a minor blood donor collect their parent or guardian's consent electronically, instead of carrying a paper form home to be signed and returned.
Why it exists
Traditionally, consent forms are distributed on paper, signed at home, and physically returned to a coordinator before a donor can be scheduled. The electronic process:
- Removes the paper handoff
- Reduces lost, forgotten, or unsigned forms
- Lets staff confirm consent on the day of the drive — which can increase the number of donations that actually take place
Who needs consent
Any donor aged 16 or older on the drive date who needs a parent or guardian's consent to donate. The sign-up QR code is intended for minor donors, and the system enforces an age check: a donor under the configured age cannot proceed past the first step of the sign-up form.
How the process works (end to end)
- Sign-up. A donor scans the single static QR code (placed on flyers, posters, or a public web page) and the sign-up portal opens.
- Donor details (Step 1). Donor first/last name, donation site (free text — the school/site name), drive date, and date of birth. Donors below the minimum age on the drive date cannot continue.
- Guardian details (Step 2). The parent/guardian's information, including the guardian's email address. The donor submits and sees a confirmation.
- Consent email. The system automatically emails the guardian a consent request. The record appears on the Donor Dashboard with a status of Pending.
- Parent signs. The guardian clicks the button in the email, reviews the consent form (donor name, location, donor DOB, drive date, disclosures), and types their name to consent. The record becomes Signed.
- At the drive. Staff use Donor Lookup to confirm consent before the donor proceeds.
- After donating. Staff mark the record as Collected; it moves to history. (Signed records also move to history automatically 72 hours after the drive date.)
Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
| Donor | The minor who wants to donate blood. |
| Guardian / Parent |
The adult whose email is entered during sign-up and who provides the electronic consent. |
| Consent status | Where a record stands: Pending (requested, not yet signed), Signed (parent has consented), or Collected (donor came in and the donation took place). |
| Static QR code | A single, unchanging QR code that opens the donor sign-up portal. Specific to the organization. |
Access in brief
Lab Symplified uses single sign-on (SSO) or email/password for authentication depending on the organization setup, so only authorized staff within your organization can log in. Access to this module is granted through two roles:
- Access Parental Consent — standard users (donor search, lookup, status, exports).
- Parental Consent Admin — adds the Admin Dashboard (disclosures, logo, QR code). Admins need both roles.
Full details are in the Admin Guide.
Security & record-keeping
Whenever a consent is signed, the system captures the IP address and device the signature came from, creating a timestamped, forensic record. Note: as with paper forms, the system cannot fully prevent a donor from entering their own email and signing on a parent's behalf — but every action is logged for audit purposes.