Introduction

The five wishes constitute the first Living Will that talks about the spiritual, emotional, personal, and medical needs of a person (Miller, 2009). The Will also let the patient chose the person he/she would like to make health care decisions on his/her behalf in case the patient becomes unresponsive (Thomas & Lobo, 2011). Simply, the five wishes state how the patient would like to be provided with care in case of debilitating sickness. The American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging in conjunction with the nation’s leading specialists at the end of life care played a crucial role in the writing of the five wishes.

The five wishes directives

The five wishes meet the legal requirements for an advance directive in all states. Individuals in any state including California can use the five wishes to express how they would like to be treated if they became seriously sick and lost the ability to speak. Once the five wishes document is signed, it becomes a legal document (Irving, 2013).

Experience

Advanced nurse practitioners are required to understand the content of the five wishes directive for their personal benefits as well the benefit of the patients and family members. Nurses, who understand the content of the five wishes, can provide a professional explanation of the importance of the five wishes directive to the patients and family members (Q. Ashton Acton, 2013). The nurse can also explain the legal aspect of the document to the patient in addition to initiating an honest discussion to guide the patients on how to choose a surrogate caretaker. Family members are thus provided with a base on which to make an appropriate decision concerning terminal care.

Application of the five wishes to nursing practice

The five wishes directive is beneficial to care providers, since it provides a base on which to make complex decisions during the end of life care. Besides this document presenting nurses and other care providers with support for the terminal care decisions, it can be seamlessly integrated into the care process since it clearly states how the patient would like to be treated (Q. Ashton Acton, 2013). One of the ways for applying the five wishes advance directive into nursing care is by ensuring the interests of the patient are respected. In some instances, the family members may want the patient to be placed on life support against his/her will. The nurse should refer to the five wishes to make an appropriate decision. Nurses can also seek further advice concerning patient care from the surrogate caretaker. The ethics committee can also be provided with a copy of the five wishes to make decisions based on the interests of the patient.

Benefit of the five wishes directive to patients in decision making for specialized areas of care

One of the advantages associated with the five wishes directive is that it helps prevent disputes that might arise during terminal care. The care providers can make care decisions without fear of ethical issues being brought up (Thomas & Lobo, 2011). The five wishes also clarify on the information that the patient would like to be disclosed to the family members during the end of life. Importantly, the family members and the care providers are provided with information on how the patient would want to be treated after losing physical functionality. The patient is thus given an opportunity to participate in the process of care delivery even at a time when he/she cannot speak (Miller, 2009).

Conclusion

The five wishes is a legally recognized document that informs the family members and the care providers on how the patient prefers to be treated during the end of life. This document can be integrated into care to guide nurses on the best way to ensure the interests of the patient are observed.

References:

Irving, S. (2013). Living wills & powers of attorney for California. Berkeley, CA: Nolo.

Miller, C. A. (2009). Nursing for wellness in older adults. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Ashton Acton, (2013). Issues in Nursing by Specialty: 2013 Edition. New York, NY: ScholarlyEditions, 2013

Thomas, K., & Lobo, B. (2011). Advance care planning in end of life care. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

The post Five Wishes advance directives appeared first on Custom Writing Service.