What are advanced directives?

• A. An order that tells medical professionals not to perform CPR
• B. A signed, dated, and witnessed legal document that appoints someone else to make the medical decisions for a person in the event they become unable to do so
• C. A document that states the medical care a person wants, or does not want, in case they become unable to make those decisions themselves
• D. Legal documents that allow people to choose what medical care they wish to have if they cannot make those decisions themselves

Answer: (D)

Advanced directives are legal documents that let a person decide in advance what medical care they would want if they can’t speak for themselves. They may name someone to make health care decisions for them (a health care proxy) and/or specify which treatments they do or don’t want (a living will). Because it covers both appointing a decision-maker and outlining treatment preferences, it best describes the overall idea. A Do Not Resuscitate order is an example of a specific instruction that can be part of these plans, while a living will or a health care proxy alone are individual components. In home health care, you’ll review and honor these directives, ensuring the patient’s wishes guide care whenever they can’t advocate for themselves.