Advance Directives, Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment, and Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders
Requires the Agency to give every adult patient written information on advance directives before care starts, record in a prominent place whether the patient has a durable power of attorney for health care or a MOST Form, follow District law on who may decide for an incapacitated patient, keep and transfer MOST Forms, act correctly in an emergency when a MOST Form or do-not-resuscitate order is present or uncertain, and never condition care on whether a patient has an advance directive.
About this policy
- Policy number
- DC-HH-PR-02
- Version
- 1.0
- Main rule
- 22-B DCMR §3908.1
- Library
- Washington, DC home health · 58 policies
- Category
- Client rights
- Sections
- 19
In short
- Before care starts, the nurse gives every adult patient information on advance directives and MOST Forms and records whether the patient has one.
- Know where the patient’s MOST Form is kept and what it says. Check the alert on the patient’s record.
- Never witness or help write a patient’s durable power of attorney for health care. The law does not allow Agency staff to be witnesses.
- In an emergency call 911. If there is a valid MOST Form, follow it and give it to the responders. If you are not sure it is still valid, act as if there were none.
- If a patient says a MOST Form or other instruction has changed or been canceled, tell the nurse at once.
What's inside
19 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.
- Terms of Reference
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Policy Statement (22-B DCMR §3908.1(e)-(f); 42 CFR §489.102)
- 5. Information Given Before Care
- 6. Recording Advance Directives and MOST Forms
- 7. Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Substituted Consent
- 8. MOST Forms
- 9. In an Emergency
- 10. Education of Staff and the Community
- 11. Complaints
- 12. Responsibilities
- 13. Records and Compliance Monitoring
- 14. Staff Training
- 15. References
- 16. Related Policies and Forms
- 17. Approval
- 18. Revision History
An inspector may ask
- Show me the advance directive information you give patients and when this patient received it.
- Where in the record do you note whether the patient has a durable power of attorney for health care or a MOST Form?
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