involved in honoring a patient's advance directive. Ethical

considerations surrounding the issue as they relate to the nursing

profession are addressed. The purpose of the paper is to express

an informed position on the issue of honoring a patient's advance

directive and explore reasons why one may not be honored. The topic

was chosen on account of personal observation and awareness in an

acute care setting. The sources used to develop this paper are

published nursing journals, current books related to this issue, and

the Internet. The paper concludes with recommendations to assist the

professional nurse in dealing with issues related to honoring a

Will Your Advance Directive be Honored?

Advances in medical technology have done a great deal to

produce miraculous cures and recoveries. In some circumstances

however, these advances have created problems for the elderly. More

aggressive technology approaches are used to extend the life of the

elderly. On the whole the elderly, as well as others, welcome that

development -- even if they fear some of its consequences. With t

literature related to the psychosocial care of the dying is written by

the patients who had advance directives had them recognized by the

fall far short of their objective. In a recent study conducted at

the document exists, beginning with the physician. Place it in a

for almost unlimited periods of time. Moreover, there are situations

subsequently became incompetent. The physicians interviewed indicated

that they would only follow a patient's advance directive if it was

such unhappy circumstances to an end. For this reason, advance

lacking, or when a strict reading of the document does not seem to

choice. Change is in the air, brought on by forces that have put

Fishback also reported 40% of the physicians questioned chose a level

Emergency circumstances can be another barrier to the

great success . . . breakdowns occur with alarming frequency in the

period of ten years. In very few cases did advance directives have

(1995) reported on a study where 900 patients were studied over a

Some common words found in the essay are:
Lynn Interpreting, Eland Buckwater, JM Hoefler, School Fishback, Jaffe Ehrlich, Ethics ANA, According Hoefler, Honored Advances, Directives- Abstract, Act PSDA, advance directives, advance directive, health care, patient's advance directive, patient's advance, american nurses association, medical profession, patients wishes, honoring patient's, jaffe ehrlich, king 1996, nurses association, honoring patient's advance, weiler eland buckwater, nurses association code,
Approximate Word count = 3008
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)