What it means
A type of advance directivead-VANS dih-REK-tivA legal document in which a person states their wishes for medical care, for a time when they cannot speak for themselves.Full entry . It lists a person's wishes about treatments such as CPR, a breathing machine, tube feeding and dialysis, for times when they are terminally ill or permanently unconscious. It is different from a health care proxyHELTH KAIR PROK-seeA person a client chooses in a legal document to make health care decisions for them if they cannot decide for themselves.Full entry , which names a person to make decisions for them.
For the nurse
Ask on admission whether the client has an advance directive and place a copy in the chart. A living will guides care only when the client cannot make their own decisions.
At a glance
| Spanish | testamento vital |
|---|---|
| Also written | living wills |
Related terms
autonomy
A person's right to make their own choices about their body and their care.
advance directive
A legal document in which a person states their wishes for medical care, for a time when they cannot speak for themselves.
health care proxy
A person a client chooses in a legal document to make health care decisions for them if they cannot decide for themselves.