Medical Health Encyclopedia

Advanced care directives

Many states offer people who are applying for new or renewed driver's license the opportunity to make a decision regarding organ donation and have it recorded on the driver's license. More information may be obtained by calling 1-800-24-DONOR.

Living will. This is a written, legal document that conveys the wishes of a person in the event of terminal illness. This document can speak for a patient who is unable to communicate. A living will may indicate specific care or treatment the person does or does not want performed under specific circumstances. This may include specific procedures, care, or treatments such as the following:

• CPR   (if cardiac or respiratory arrest occurs)
• Artificial nutrition through intravenous or tube feedings
• Prolonged maintenance on a respirator (if unable to breathe adequately alone)
• Blood cultures, spinal fluid evaluations, and other diagnostic tests
• Blood transfusions

State laws vary regarding living wills. Information specific to individual states usually may be obtained from the State Bar Association, State Medical Association, State Nursing Association, and most hospitals or medical centers.

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A living will is not to be confused with a last will and testament that distributes assets after a person's death.

Special medical power of attorney. A legal document that allows an individual to appoint someone else (proxy) to make medical or health care decisions, in the event the individual becomes unable to make or communicate such decisions personally.

NOTE: This document provides for power to make medically related decisions only and does not give any individual power to make legal or financial decisions.

DNR (do not resuscitate) order. This states that CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) is not to be performed if your breathing stops or your heart stops beating. The order may be written by the person's doctor after discussing the issue with the person (if possible), the proxy, or family.