Which document indicates what medical interventions an individual prefers if they are not conscious?

Which document indicates what medical interventions an individual prefers if they are not conscious?

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

Answer: (A)

At the heart of this question is specifying medical preferences for times when a person cannot express them. An advance directive like a living will spells out which interventions a person would want or refuse, such as resuscitation, ventilation, or tube feeding, if they are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate. This makes the patient's wishes clear to clinicians and family ahead of time. A health care proxy designates someone to make decisions for the patient when they can't speak, but it doesn't by itself list the specific interventions desired. Hospice is an organized approach to end-of-life care focused on comfort rather than documenting treatment preferences. Double effect is an ethical principle used to justify actions with both beneficial and harmful consequences and is not a document outlining personal medical choices. Therefore, the document that indicates what medical interventions an individual prefers if they are not conscious is a living will.

At the heart of this question is specifying medical preferences for times when a person cannot express them. An advance directive like a living will spells out which interventions a person would want or refuse, such as resuscitation, ventilation, or tube feeding, if they are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate. This makes the patient's wishes clear to clinicians and family ahead of time. A health care proxy designates someone to make decisions for the patient when they can't speak, but it doesn't by itself list the specific interventions desired. Hospice is an organized approach to end-of-life care focused on comfort rather than documenting treatment preferences. Double effect is an ethical principle used to justify actions with both beneficial and harmful consequences and is not a document outlining personal medical choices. Therefore, the document that indicates what medical interventions an individual prefers if they are not conscious is a living will.