Instructional Healthcare Directive
What is an instructional healthcare directive?
An instructional healthcare directive is a written document in which an individual decides in advance what type of care they want in case they are ever in a situation where they cannot make the healthcare decision for themselves. Instructional health care directives may also be known as living wills.
An instructional healthcare directive is different from a proxy directive, which is s document used to appoint someone to make healthcare decisions for them in the event that they cannot. Together, an instructional health care directive and proxy directive form an advance directive.
The instructional healthcare directive provides information to the physician and family members regarding the situations in which they would or would not want life-sustaining treatment. Within this document, individuals may also include their values, beliefs, and general treatment and care preferences.
Some of the treatments that may be discussed in an instructional health care directive include:
- tube feedings
- dialysis
- ventilators
Individuals can also end or take back their living will at any time.
Why are instructional healthcare directives important to healthcare?
Instructional healthcare directives guide physicians and family members as they make decisions to ensure they reflect the decisions someone would make if they could do so themselves.
The instructional healthcare directive is used in cases where an individual is terminally ill (cannot be cured) or permanently unconscious.