Medical POA

[jkick626i]

I work in an assisted living memory unit, all residents have a power of attorney, they often ask us to stop a medication, can we legally do that WITHOUT a doctor's order?

[MunoRN, RN]

No doctor's order is required for a patient or their designated decision maker to decline a suggested treatment.

[jkick626i]

So it can be "refused" but not discontinued

[MunoRN, RN]

If the patient or their decision maker is only refusing this particular dose, and may take subsequent doses, then it's reasonable to just chart this particular dose as being refused but to leave it is an active order. If the patient or their decision maker clearly does not ever want this medication (after appropriate assessment and confirmation of their refusal) then it's generally polite to inform the provider that the patient is refusing the medication all together and therefore the order is being discontinued. To leave it as an active order would mean that repeated attempts will be made to impose a treatment the patient has already clearly declined.

[jkick626i]

Thank you