Advance DirectivesResearch the legal and ethical basis for A

Advance Directives—Research the legal and ethical basis for Advance Directives such as the Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for healthcare. Why are these documents so valuable in healthcare situations? What legal authority do these documents provide for decision making by family and/or healthcare providers? Briefly discuss a situation in which a Living Will might apply and would be of benefit to those involved. Once you have researched and discussed Advance Directives, draft a sample Living Will, indicating the type of content that should be found in such a document. Some students take this opportunity to prepare their own actual Living Will, and that certainly is encouraged.

Solution

Legal an ethical basis for Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for healthcare

Advance directives are legally valid in the US and you don’t need a lawyer to fill out an advance directive, it becomes valid as soon as you sign it.

Emergency medical technicians cannot honor living wills or medical powers of attorney, this means that when you arrive to the emergency they will do whatever it takes to keep the patient alieve

Advance directives do not expire

It is best to review the advance directives every day to make sure it reflects what you want, if something is change then you need to complete a new document,

Both documents are important in healthcare situations because it allows you to choose someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf because you are incapable of making the decision on your own.

A living is limited to deathbed concerns and what it express basically is the desire to not have life prolonging measures when there is no hope of recovery.

On the other hand, a durable power of attorney for healthcare covers all health care decisions only when you are incapable of making the decisions for yourself.

A situation where living will apply is for example a brain death on which there isn’t any hope of recovery,

Example of living will:

LIVING WILL OF SAM WILSON

I, Sam Wilson direct that my health care providers to provide, withhold or withdraw treatment in accordance with my expressed wishes as follows:

Choice to prolong my life

I don’t wish my life to be prolonged if my diagnoses are as follows: incurable diseases that causes imminent death, side effects and risks treatments outweigh expected benefits.

       Relief from pain

I direct my healthcare providers to administer all necessary treatments that will alleviate my pain even if the side effects quickens my death

Date and signature

The foregoing Living will is subscribed by me on the 5^th of January of 2015 in Chicago Illinois