Advance Directives and Do Not Resuscitate Orders

Course overview

Treatment in the final days of life is often hampered by lack of the patients decision-making capacity and legal documentation of wishes. An advance directive provides helpful written instructions for health teams and families when a patient is unable to make independent health care decisions. Various categories of advance directives exist, as well as barriers to achieve and carry out patient preferences during a medical misfortune, expected disease outcome or age.