Applies to: All Nursing Staff
Policy
A Life Care Directive is a written statement in which a competent RK MacDonald Resident indicates their wishes for care in the event their health status changes. If a Resident lacks capacity to make a competent decision the Substitute Decision maker shall complete the Directive.
Life Care Directives offer our Residents two choices,
- Allow a Natural death or
- Intervention with possible hospitalization
- There is opportunity for special instructions in both cases (see Appendix A)
Procedure
- The Life Care Directive will be signed at the time of admission to the Inn or the Cottage
- The RN or LPN will set aside time to answer any questions if necessary.
- The Life Care Directives will be reviewed at the Care Conferences or whenever necessary.
- Five (5) copies of the Directive will be made on Pink paper and placed on the Residents chart under ‘Discharge Planning’. A copy is to be sent with the Resident if they are transferred to the hospital.
- A copy of the Directive must accompany the Resident if transferred to another facility.
- A Life Care Directive sticker is place on the Residents chart next to name/physician/room number.
- Pertinent information regarding the Life Care Directive will be placed on the clinical snapshot.
- If Resident or SDM do not fill out a Life Care Directive, the RN/LPN will send the Resident to the hospital for further assessment if necessary.