Criminal Assignment

How much would you be willing to go through to extend your life, possibly while compromising the quality of that life?

With the advancement of medicine, technology can extend life; however, at what point does the medical profession withhold or withdraw life-sustaining care? Advance directives are living wills and essential to ensure a patient receives or does not receive the medical treatment they would want, yet few people have them in place and even fewer know what they are or what they are for.

Advanced directives are written forms acknowledging your medical wishes should you ever be in a position where you are unable to voice those wishes for yourself. Providing an advanced directive means telling people you love what they should do so they aren’t put in the place of having to try and guess what you would have wanted—would you want to be resuscitated with shocks? Would you want to be on a ventilator? Would you want a feeding tube? How long would you want any of these?

To Prepare:

Go to one of the following websites and download the free forms for your specific state.

• https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/free-printable-advance-directives/
• http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3289
• https://www.uslivingwillregistry.com/formslist.shtm

Fill out those forms for yourself with your own directives. Then, if possible, have the talk with someone you love about the choices you have made. Not to be turned in.

In a 4 page paper:

• Reflect      on the experience completing an Advanced Directive. Consider:
  • What       was it like thinking and talking about the “what if’s,” “when’s,” and       “why’s”?
  • How       did you feel when thinking about and talking with your loved one about       the choices you would make in different medical scenarios?
  • How       willing were others to talk with you about your wishes and choices you       made in the Advanced Directive?
• Explain      any insights you gained from this activity that might help you working      with clients.
• Describe      specific skills you would use to 1) talk to clients about Advanced      Directives, 2) assist clients in completing an Advanced Directive, and 3)      help families to apply an Advanced Directive.
• Explain one ethical      issue (e.g., medical, social, or public health) that is relevant to a      medical Advanced Directive.
• Explain two sides      of the ethical issue.
• Describe      the course of action you might take to address the ethical issue as the clinician      responsible for this patient, explaining the specific benefits your      decision might provide to the patient and the family.