Which document indicates an individual's preferences for medical interventions if they are not conscious, such as not wanting mechanical ventilation?

Which document indicates an individual's preferences for medical interventions if they are not conscious, such as not wanting mechanical ventilation?

• A. Living Will
• B. Health Care Proxy
• C. DNR
• D. Hospice

Answer: (A)

Planning for medical crises often relies on advance directives. A living will is the document that records what medical interventions a person does or does not want if they cannot speak for themselves. It directly communicates preferences about treatments like mechanical ventilation, resuscitation, or other life-sustaining measures in situations where the person is unconscious. This makes it the resource most specifically aimed at guiding care when a patient cannot participate in decisions themselves. A health care proxy, by contrast, names someone to make medical decisions on the person’s behalf when they can’t decide, but it doesn’t automatically list the exact treatments they would want. A Do Not Resuscitate order is a single directive at the bedside about not performing CPR, not a full set of preferences for all possible interventions. Hospice describes a care approach focused on comfort and quality of life, rather than a formal document outlining treatment choices.

Planning for medical crises often relies on advance directives. A living will is the document that records what medical interventions a person does or does not want if they cannot speak for themselves. It directly communicates preferences about treatments like mechanical ventilation, resuscitation, or other life-sustaining measures in situations where the person is unconscious. This makes it the resource most specifically aimed at guiding care when a patient cannot participate in decisions themselves.

A health care proxy, by contrast, names someone to make medical decisions on the person’s behalf when they can’t decide, but it doesn’t automatically list the exact treatments they would want. A Do Not Resuscitate order is a single directive at the bedside about not performing CPR, not a full set of preferences for all possible interventions. Hospice describes a care approach focused on comfort and quality of life, rather than a formal document outlining treatment choices.