A document indicating wishes about life-sustaining treatments.

A document indicating wishes about life-sustaining treatments.

• A. Power of Attorney
• B. Informed Consent
• C. Advanced Directive
• D. Living Will

Answer: (D)

When people want to ensure their wishes about life-sustaining care are known if they can’t speak for themselves, they use a document that states what they want or don’t want in those situations. A living will is that specific written statement about which life-sustaining treatments should be used or withheld, such as CPR, ventilators, or feeding tubes, when the person is terminally ill or permanently unconscious. It serves as a clear guide for doctors and families to follow, helping to align medical care with the patient’s values and preferences. This is different from appointing someone to make decisions for you, which is a health care proxy or durable power of attorney. It’s also a broader category called an advanced directive, which can include both living wills and health care proxies. Informed consent, on the other hand, is about agreeing to a particular medical procedure after being informed of risks and alternatives, not about outlining general end-of-life treatment preferences.

When people want to ensure their wishes about life-sustaining care are known if they can’t speak for themselves, they use a document that states what they want or don’t want in those situations. A living will is that specific written statement about which life-sustaining treatments should be used or withheld, such as CPR, ventilators, or feeding tubes, when the person is terminally ill or permanently unconscious. It serves as a clear guide for doctors and families to follow, helping to align medical care with the patient’s values and preferences.

This is different from appointing someone to make decisions for you, which is a health care proxy or durable power of attorney. It’s also a broader category called an advanced directive, which can include both living wills and health care proxies. Informed consent, on the other hand, is about agreeing to a particular medical procedure after being informed of risks and alternatives, not about outlining general end-of-life treatment preferences.