When planning for future medical care, it’s crucial to understand different directives. You might encounter terms like living wills and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders. Both documents serve specific purposes, but their roles in healthcare decision-making vary.
Living will basics
In Louisiana, a living will or declaration concerning life-sustaining procedures is a legal document that outlines your preferences for medical treatment if you become incapacitated and are unable to communicate your decisions. Here are the key points:
- Eligibility: Any adult can create a living will.
- Activation: The living will is effective only if you are diagnosed with an incurable injury, disease or illness, or if you are in a continual profound comatose state with no reasonable chance of recovery, certified to be a terminal and irreversible condition by two physicians who have personally examined you, one of whom must be your attending physician, and the physicians determine that your death will occur whether or not life-sustaining procedures are utilized and that the application of life-sustaining procedure would serve only to prolong artificially the dying process.
- Purpose: A living will ensures your preferences for end-of-life care are known and respected, even if you cannot communicate them yourself.
- Content: The living will specifies whether life-sustaining procedures, such as nutrition and hydration, life support, mechanical ventilation, tube feeding, dialysis, or other interventions, should be withheld or withdrawn if they only serve to prolong the dying process.
- Registration: While not required, you can register your living will with the Louisiana Secretary of State for a fee.
The living will is effective at a time when a person is physically (medically) alive but cannot survive without extraordinary medical procedures. By having a living will, you can ensure that your family knows and respects your healthcare preferences, even when you can’t voice them yourself.
Understanding a DNR order
A DNR order is a medical directive that tells healthcare providers not to perform CPR if your heart stops beating or if you stop breathing. This order is specific to resuscitation efforts and common in cases where CPR would not improve the quality of life or where it would only prolong suffering. Unlike a living will, a DNR order must have a physician’s signature.
Key differences
The main difference between a living will and a DNR order lies in their scope. A living will covers a broad range of medical treatments and interventions, while a DNR order is specific to resuscitation efforts. Additionally, you, the patient, prepare the living will, whereas a DNR order requires a doctor’s signature.
How they work together
While a living will and a DNR order are separate documents, they can complement each other. For example, your living will might express a preference for no aggressive treatments, and a DNR order would ensure no one makes any resuscitation efforts.
Planning for peace of mind
Understanding the differences between a living will and a DNR order can help you make informed decisions about your healthcare. This proactive approach ensures that your healthcare decisions align with your values and needs.