Advance healthcare directive for healthcare professionals
Role of healthcare professional in making an advance healthcare directive
Roger has severe heart failure and has been admitted to hospital with increased shortness of breath for the third time in six months. On admission, he tells his doctor that he does not want to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation and ventilation performed in the event of a cardiac arrest, as he would prefer to die peacefully. Following a discussion, this is documented in Roger’s notes and a ‘Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation’ order is recorded.
Roger responds to treatment. Before returning home, his treating doctor asks if he would like to find out more about making an advance healthcare directive. The doctor explains that this would allow Roger’s will and preferences to be taken into account in future treatment decisions, if he no longer had capacity to make such decisions. He also explains that Roger can appoint a designated healthcare representative if he wishes to do so, whose role is to ensure the terms of the advance healthcare directive are complied with.
Roger is interested in making an advance healthcare directive and wants to appoint his daughter as his designated healthcare representative. He asks his doctor for further information on treatment decisions that he wishes to include in his advance healthcare directive to enable him to better understand the implications of requesting or refusing certain treatments.
The advance healthcare directive is subsequently made, signed and witnessed. With Roger’s permission, copies of the advance healthcare directive are placed in his hospital chart and sent to his general practitioner, clearly indicating that the advance healthcare directive has not yet come into effect and Roger still has capacity to make his own treatment decisions.