Which term relates to documents that state a patient’s preferences for end-of-life care?

Which term relates to documents that state a patient’s preferences for end-of-life care?

• A. Advance Directives
• B. Informed Consent
• C. Communicable Diseases
• D. Good Samaritan Law

Answer: (A)

Advance directives are documents in which a person states their preferences for medical treatment in situations when they cannot communicate. They help ensure that care at the end of life aligns with the individual’s values, such as whether to pursue life-sustaining measures, undergo resuscitation, or focus on comfort and palliation. They may also name a healthcare proxy to make decisions on the person’s behalf if needed. Examples include living wills and durable power of attorney for healthcare. Informed consent, by contrast, is about agreeing to a specific treatment when it’s offered, with full information about risks and benefits, not about future end-of-life preferences. Communicable diseases and Good Samaritan laws address unrelated concepts—disease transmission and legal protections for bystanders, respectively.

Advance directives are documents in which a person states their preferences for medical treatment in situations when they cannot communicate. They help ensure that care at the end of life aligns with the individual’s values, such as whether to pursue life-sustaining measures, undergo resuscitation, or focus on comfort and palliation. They may also name a healthcare proxy to make decisions on the person’s behalf if needed. Examples include living wills and durable power of attorney for healthcare. Informed consent, by contrast, is about agreeing to a specific treatment when it’s offered, with full information about risks and benefits, not about future end-of-life preferences. Communicable diseases and Good Samaritan laws address unrelated concepts—disease transmission and legal protections for bystanders, respectively.