Question

A nurse is assisting a client with an advance directive. Which of the following nursing responsibilities should be included regarding advance directives? Select all that apply.

1) Inform all members of the client's family of the client's wishes.
2) Ensure that each family member receives a copy of the advance directive.
3) Provide written information to the client about advance directives.
4) Document the client's advance directive in the medical chart.
5) Confirm that the advance directive is current.

Answer 1

A nurse's responsibilities when handling advance directives include providing the client with written information, documenting the directive in the medical chart, and ensuring it is current. Informing the entire family and distributing copies should be done only with client consent. Option 1,2,4,5 are correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

When assisting a client with an advance directive, several nursing responsibilities should be taken into account. The following are some essential duties:

Provide written information to the client about advance directives, explaining their purpose and the types of decisions that can be included within them. This may involve discussing living wills and health care proxies.

Document the client's advance directive in the medical chart, ensuring that it is readily accessible to all healthcare providers involved in the client's care.

Confirm that the advance directive is current and reflects the client's most recent wishes regarding their healthcare preferences.

It is also important to note that the nurse should respect client confidentiality, meaning informing all family members and ensuring each receives a copy of the advance directive are actions that should only be done with the client's explicit consent.