Patient Education: Advance Directives

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What is needed if no advance directive has been prepared?

Court-appointed guardian

Authorized surrogate recognized by state law (correct)

Primary care physician

Psychiatrist for evaluation

When does an advance directive become effective in most states?

After incapacity is determined (correct)

At birth

Upon hospital admission

Before incapacity is determined

What is recommended for clinicians to do with a patient's living will and durable power of attorney?

Share it on social media

Obtain a copy, review with the patient, and make it part of the medical record (correct)

Keep it private

Discard it after one year

According to United States federal law, where must hospitals document whether an individual has an advance directive?

In a prominent part of the patient's medical record Signup and view all the answers

Who should patients provide a copy of the durable power of attorney for health care to?

Their appointed agent and close family or friends involved during serious illness Signup and view all the answers

What do an increasing number of states offer for recording advance directives?

Optional electronic registries Signup and view all the answers

When do living wills typically go into effect?

When the patient loses the ability to make their own health care decisions Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a durable power of attorney for health care?

To name someone to make financial decisions Signup and view all the answers

Who typically becomes legally authorized to make health care decisions when a durable power of attorney for health care is in place?

The patient's agent or proxy Signup and view all the answers

What is a key requirement for a document to serve as reliable evidence of a patient's wishes?

Complying with state law requirements for living wills Signup and view all the answers

Can a health care professional involved in a patient's care act as a witness to a living will in most states?

No, they cannot be a witness in most states Signup and view all the answers

What action confirms and documents the loss of decisional capacity and the medical condition in relation to living wills?

State law provides a specific process Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of advance directives?

To extend control over health care decisions after incapacitation Signup and view all the answers

Which term is commonly used to refer to a surrogate decision maker in advance directives?

Healthcare agent Signup and view all the answers

What is the main distinction between a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care?

A living will only addresses end-of-life care, while a durable power of attorney designates a surrogate decision maker Signup and view all the answers

Why is training advisable for healthcare professionals when communicating about end-of-life decisions?

To help communicate compassionately and effectively Signup and view all the answers

In what way can common law and constitutional principles influence honoring patient wishes?

By guiding that any clear expression of patients' wishes should be honored within medical standards Signup and view all the answers

Why are advance directives encouraged as a legal tool in every state in the United States?

To ensure patients' wishes are expressed and honored Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of a living will?

To provide guidance for end-of-life health care decisions Signup and view all the answers

Why is a living will referred to as 'living'?

It is in effect while the person is still alive Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential limitation of a living will completed long before experiencing a life-limiting disorder?

Many people change their preferences as circumstances change Signup and view all the answers

What is one aspect that can be just as helpful, if not more so, than specific treatment wishes in a living will?

Core values relating to end-of-life care Signup and view all the answers

Can a living will force health care professionals to provide medically or ethically unwarranted care?

No, never Signup and view all the answers

What is required for a living will to be legally valid?

Compliance with state law Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of a durable power of attorney for health care?

Enables immediate decision-making by the agent Signup and view all the answers

How can a principal override the decisions made by the agent in a durable power of attorney for health care?

By revoking the power of attorney Signup and view all the answers

What is a common recommendation for individuals who have both a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care?

Stipulate which document should be followed in case of conflict Signup and view all the answers

In most states, who is generally not allowed to serve as an agent for health care matters?

A health care professional providing care for the patient Signup and view all the answers

What does combining a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care into an advance directive achieve?

Provides clear guidance for potential conflicts Signup and view all the answers

What authority does an agent have in making decisions about medical facts and prognosis according to the text?

Equivalent to what the principal would have had if not incapacitated Signup and view all the answers