Power of Attorney VS. PT Rights

Nurses General Nursing

Published

How do you distinguish between doing what the power of attorney wants and what you know is right? That's where being an advocate comes into play? Correct?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

How do you know it's rght?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

What is right for me may not be right for you. The "right" decision has many factors--as a healthcare professional you only know a few of the factors.

Why do some POA keep someone alive on a vent when they are basically a vegetable? Keeping them alive is "right" to the POA while another set of people and circumstances may seem it "right" to take the patient off life support.

If the patient signed a POA and said Jane over there is to make the pt's medical decisions if the pr can't then the PATIENT trusts the POA to make the "right" decision based on THE PATIENTS circumstances.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

Generally there shouldn't be a conflict between the two since what's "right" is to provide care in keeping with the patient's wishes, and the POA's legal responsibility is to ensure that the patient is receiving care that is in keeping with the patient's wishes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment