The Kentucky state laws allow various end-of-life advanced directives such as durable power of attorney for health care, DNR or do-not-resuscitate orders, and living will. A durable power of attorney for health care formally designates a person who will make decisions regarding health care especially if the patient is unable to make a decision for him or herself. A DNR order is accomplished by a patient who has a terminal or critical illness and who does not want any treatments or measures that are aimed to prolong life during close-to-death situations. A living will is accomplished by a person to indicate that he/she does not want any life-prolonging measures in the event he/she faces a health condition with a very small chance of recovery such as brain death, coma, or a terminal disease.
I understand the rationale behind these advanced directives. It is normal for a person to despise being kept in a vegetative state for so long, causing much distress to the family, both emotionally and financially. With the medical advancements nowadays, there are many ways and measures by which a patient can be kept alive through the instruments connected to the body. However, during that state, a person is just kept alive by the instrument like the feeding tube or the breathing apparatus. During those cases when there is a little to no hope of survival or recovery, it becomes hard for the family members of the patients to decide if the instruments keeping the patient alive should be taken off. It is a battle between fighting for the life of the patient in spite of the painful process and preventing the prolonged and expensive process that do not usually lead to the recovery of the patient. This is why nowadays people are allowed to make choices about what they want for themselves regarding their health care.
There are also legal issues involved in cases where the patient becomes unable to make medical decisions. An informed consent is usually needed before a patient undergoes any medical or surgical procedures. A patient also has a right to refuse any kind of treatment. But when the patient is unable to make a decision, it becomes hard for the medical practitioners or officers to determine what to do. It can also be troublesome to determine whose person in the family should make the decisions regarding the life of the patient. Hence, in that case, a durable power of attorney would be helpful.
These end-of-life advanced directives can be helpful and beneficial but it can also be abused. It can be abused by people who want other things aside from the benefit and well-being of the patient. For instance, there is a case reported when a family member of a patient with a living will, who had a heart attack, tried to prevent the Emergency Medical Services from saving the patient. It turned out that there is a hidden motive behind the family member’s decision. The family member was found out to be an heir of a huge property had the patient died. Luckily, the EMS team still rescued the patient, and the patient not only survived, but recovered from the heart attack .
Looking at these advanced directive forms, I would like to complete a living will directive. This is to remove the burden off my family in case I become in a vegetative state or a coma with a very small chance of recovery. I understand that families can contradict with a patient’s will but a clear communication can help ease things out. If I am in a vegetative state for a long time, I know that my family will soon realize they have to give me up for my benefit.
I think that advanced directives are beneficial. But whenever families disagree or push for the will of the patient, the ulterior motive of both the family member and the patient should be looked upon. Advanced directives should serve its purpose of preventing the cases of over and under-treatment. It should also lessen the conflicts and misunderstanding between the family members of the patient and the health care providers.
References
Schwab, C. A. (2003). Editor's Corner: Ethical Issues of Advance Directives. The Forum for Family and Consumer Issues, 8(1).
