Question

: explain Guardianship applied in nursing practice in wa

Answer 1

Ans. An Enduring Power of Guardianship is a legal document which enables a person to appoint someone or several people as an enduring guardian to make personal, lifestyle and medical treatment decisions when they are unable to make or communicate those decisions for themselves.

This is particularly useful because it is not always possible in either an Advance Health Directive or a living will to anticipate every scenario that may happen to you. Therefore, having someone who can speak on your behalf is another way of ensuring that what you want to happen to you when you are unable to communicate actually happens.

Adults with impaired decision-making abilities, such as those with a psychiatric condition, dementia, an intellectual disability or an acquired brain injury may not be able to execute an enduring power of guardianship.

In the case of people with a mental illness, the issue of capacity can be complex particularly if their ability to make reasoned decisions fluctuates with the severity of their illness.

It may also be a useful way of respecting different cultures. For example, in many cultures, you don’t talk to the patient, but instead to a tribal elder. In other cultures, the most senior uncle or oldest son may be the one who has the responsibility for making important decisions.

Different groups can decide to use the Enduring Power of Guardianship to acknowledge these culture norms. Or a patient may wish that they don’t want this to happen.

For example, an elderly woman may feel ashamed to have her son making decisions about matters which are intimate to her. Maybe, she would prefer her daughter to make those decisions and choose to appoint her daughter instead of son.