In 1991 the Patient Self Determination Act was implemented which pertains to several legal documents as well as those not written in a legal setting. The Patient Self Determination Act states that all health care facilities Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement must recognize a patient’s advance directive, the facilities must ask every patient if they have an advance directive, and provide education to the patient informing them of their rights to communicate their wishes regarding future treatment. This includes if the patient wishes to refuse medical treatments.
The main purpose of advance directives is to maintain the patient’s autonomy even after they are unable to communicate due to mental conditions such as dementia or physical conditions …show more content…
When a patient talks about wanting to know about advance directives the nurse should take the time to explain the different types of legal documents such as living wills, advance directives, health care proxy, etc . The nurse should also inform the patient of their rights in regards to their treatment. After speaking with the patient about advance directives the nurse needs to document in the patient’s medical records the outcome of the conversation. When a patient has an advanced directive it is the nurse’s duty to be an advocate for the patient and place it in the patient’s medical file and integrate the wishes listed in the advanced directive into the patient’s plan of care. It is important for the nurse to inform all members of the patient’s healthcare team of the patient’s wishes and inform them of the existence of an advance directives. Advance directives state what interventions the patient would like to be preformed or would not like to be done if they become unable to communicate their wishes. Advance directives can be considered as consent to future interventions. For example if a patient goes into respiratory failure and becomes unconscious if their living will states that they would like to be intubated this can act as a consent for the procedure. It is important to note that just because a patient has an advance directive it does not mean the patient has a Do-Not- Resuscitate …show more content…
This document must be signed in front of two adult witnesses, one of which cannot be the surrogate, the patient’s spouse nor a blood relative. The patient also has the right to appoint a different person as a surrogate to make decisions regarding the patient’s mental health treatment. If a separate surrogate is not stated in the document the court will assume the primary health care surrogate is also the person the patient wants to delegate the task of decision making regarding mental health treatment.
Heath care proxy is similar to durable power of attorney. The main differences between the two are that a lawyer must write durable power of attorney, while health care proxy documents do not. Another difference is durable power of attorney appoints a person to make any decision for you while with a health care surrogate the person can only make medical decisions.
As a nurse it is important to not let personal beliefs interfere with the execution of a patient’s wishes regarding their
The main purpose of advance directives is to maintain the patient’s autonomy even after they are unable to communicate due to mental conditions such as dementia or physical conditions …show more content…
When a patient talks about wanting to know about advance directives the nurse should take the time to explain the different types of legal documents such as living wills, advance directives, health care proxy, etc . The nurse should also inform the patient of their rights in regards to their treatment. After speaking with the patient about advance directives the nurse needs to document in the patient’s medical records the outcome of the conversation. When a patient has an advanced directive it is the nurse’s duty to be an advocate for the patient and place it in the patient’s medical file and integrate the wishes listed in the advanced directive into the patient’s plan of care. It is important for the nurse to inform all members of the patient’s healthcare team of the patient’s wishes and inform them of the existence of an advance directives. Advance directives state what interventions the patient would like to be preformed or would not like to be done if they become unable to communicate their wishes. Advance directives can be considered as consent to future interventions. For example if a patient goes into respiratory failure and becomes unconscious if their living will states that they would like to be intubated this can act as a consent for the procedure. It is important to note that just because a patient has an advance directive it does not mean the patient has a Do-Not- Resuscitate …show more content…
This document must be signed in front of two adult witnesses, one of which cannot be the surrogate, the patient’s spouse nor a blood relative. The patient also has the right to appoint a different person as a surrogate to make decisions regarding the patient’s mental health treatment. If a separate surrogate is not stated in the document the court will assume the primary health care surrogate is also the person the patient wants to delegate the task of decision making regarding mental health treatment.
Heath care proxy is similar to durable power of attorney. The main differences between the two are that a lawyer must write durable power of attorney, while health care proxy documents do not. Another difference is durable power of attorney appoints a person to make any decision for you while with a health care surrogate the person can only make medical decisions.
As a nurse it is important to not let personal beliefs interfere with the execution of a patient’s wishes regarding their