Question

1st question: explain Living wills and advanced directives applied in nursing practice in wa

2nd question: explain  Guardianship applied in nursing practice in wa

Answer 1

Advance Directives are documents that allow a person to state the type of medical care he/she wants at the end of life. The Living Will is a type of Advance Directive and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is another type of Advance Directive. The WA Advance Directive combines Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care into a single document. This is applicable when one has a terminal or non-terminal disease condition and has no statements against choice. This also has provisions for dementia and Alzheimer’s. Specific terminology is used to state when one doesn’t want life-sustaining treatment and any other treatments. Limits can be placed on how long a person would like to remain in a persistent vegetative state/coma as per this directive and a very elderly person has the option of choosing no life-sustaining treatment. This also includes a statement requesting maximum pain and comfort care, even if this might speed up the dying process. This directive remains effective after death for organ donation etc. This directive also allows to state that if a guardian is appointed, he/she should be the healthcare agent already named by the patient. This also affirms a healthcare agent’s right to complete a POLST form and allows consideration of every legal/ethical option.