Client Representatives, Decision-Making, and Advance Health Care Directives
Sets out how the Agency respects each client's right to make their own decisions, identifies and records the people with legal authority to act for a client, and, as its own standard, asks whether the client has an advance health care directive or a POLST form, keeps a copy, and makes sure aides hand these documents to emergency medical personnel without ever interpreting them.
About this policy
- Policy number
- CA-HC-CR-03
- Version
- 1.0
- Main rule
- Cal. Prob. Code §4600 et seq.
- Library
- California home care · 50 policies
- Category
- Client rights
- Sections
- 18
In short
- Talk to the client first. Clients make their own decisions unless a court order or a signed document says otherwise.
- Check the client's representative form before sharing information with family or anyone else.
- Know where the client keeps a POLST or advance directive. In an emergency, call 911 and give it to the paramedics.
- Never explain what a directive means, decide about treatment, or act as a client's agent or witness.
- Report to the office if a client seems less able to decide, or if someone seems to be controlling the client.
What's inside
18 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.
- Terms of Reference
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Policy Statement (Cal. Prob. Code §4600 et seq.)
- 5. Who May Act for a Client
- 6. Identifying and Recording Representatives
- 7. Respecting the Client's Own Decisions
- 8. Advance Health Care Directives
- 9. POLST and Do-Not-Resuscitate Forms
- 10. When Authority or Capacity Is in Doubt
- 11. Responsibilities
- 12. Records and Compliance Monitoring
- 13. Staff Training
- 14. References
- 15. Related Policies and Forms
- 16. Approval
- 17. Revision History
An inspector may ask
- Who can make decisions for this client, and where is the document that gives that authority?
- Does this client have an advance health care directive or POLST, and where is it kept in the home?
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