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Common Words Advance Directive: A written tool used to guide health care decisions when an individual is unable to do so because oaf incapacity. Advance Directive is a general term that describes two kinds of documents, living wills and medical powers of attorney. These documents give instructions about future medical care and appoint a person to make healthcare decisions if you are unable to make them yourself. Artificial nutrition and hydration: IV (inter venous = needle in the vein) fluids, a tube (nasal gastric) in the throat which goes down into the stomach or a tube (gastric tube) surgically placed directly into the stomach or IV nutrition. Capacity: In the healthcare context, the ability of a patient to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of healthcare decisions and to make informed choices. The term “competent” is also used to indicate ability to make informed decisions. Code Status: A term used by medical professionals to describe what should be done if a patient’s heart stops oar a patient stops breathing. Full Code: A term that means the patient will receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). No Code, DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) Order: An order that instructs the medical team to not resuscitate the patient if either the heart stops beating or the individual stops breathing. CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A group of treatments, any or all of which are given to support or restore breathing and circulation if the heart or lungs stop working. Curative Care: Care designed to cure a disease or condition, and is expected to prolong life. Hospice: A philosophy of care for the terminally ill. Care is focused on comfort and the relief of symptoms. Hospice includes support for the patient’s family while the person is dying and bereavement support. Medical Power of Attorney: A document that allows an individual to appoint someone else to make decisions about their medical care if they are unable to communicate. It may also be called “health care proxy.” Palliative Care: The active and total care of someone whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment, Control of pain, other symptoms, and psychological, social, and spiritual problems is paramount. The goal of palliative care is to achieve the best possible quality of life for patients and their families. May also be referred to as “comfort care.” Palliative Medicine: The study and management of patients with active, progressive, and far-advanced disease for whom the prognosis is limited and the focus of care is quality of life. POLST
Form:The
POLST form documents a “physician’s order for life sustaining
treatment.” The POLST form is a “physician’s order”,
not an “advance directive.” The POLST form is a way to
translate living wills or oral advance directives into physician
orders that must be followed by emergency personnel and healthcare
providers working within a licensed healthcare facility. More information
and a copy of the POLST form. Power of Attorney: A legal document in which one person gives another the authority to make specific financial decisions. Unless specifically written to do so, it does not cover health care decisions. Prognosis: The doctor’s best judgment about the outcome o a patient’s disease or condition. Will: A legal document written to have control over what happens too one’s property and assets when one dies. It does not involve healthcare decisions. |
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