Week 5 Field Activity Paper
This paper will have three parts addressing two important pieces of
legislation related to the right of individuals to make health care
decisions for themselves.
Part I
The Advance Health Care Directive
Locate a copy of an advanced
directive (AD) that complies with the laws of the state in which you
work. The organization in which you work should have a copy of an
advance directive that is given to patients. If not, download your
state’s Advance Directives here
Complete the advance directive for yourself. Do not turn in your AD with your paper. The AD is for your personal use.
In your paper, Part I:
- Identify where you obtained the AD and explain its compliance with state law.
- Conduct research (1-2 sources) to learn more about the AD in your state and explain how it works.
- Discuss how easy or difficult it was to complete the AD. Your comments should be specific and both objective and subjective.
For example, when you state your personal feelings, you must relate
them to the literature (textbook and research) that discusses this
process and the difficulties that many people face when completing an
advance directive.
(Cite/ reference any sources you use to explore these questions, including your texts.)
Part II
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Form
- What is a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form?
- When should this form be completed?
- Who can complete the form?
- Who needs to sign the form to make it a legal document?
(Cite/reference any sources you use to explore these questions, including your texts.)
Part III
Tie the two first sections together by writing a summary and conclusion.
This section should address:
1. the differences between an Advance Health Care Directive and the POLST,
2. the RN’s important role in assuring the patient’s right to autonomy in choosing the healthcare interventions the patient does or does not want.
____________________________________________
Use current APA format.
The paper should be between 3-5 pages in length excluding the title and reference page(s).
Cite and reference the course text and at least two (2) additional appropriate professional sources.
Review the rubric for further information on how your assignment will be graded.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
This assignment is designed for medical college students to evaluate their understanding and knowledge of two important legislations related to the right of individuals to make health care decisions for themselves. The assignment requires the students to complete an Advance Health Care Directive and answer questions related to the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form.
Answer to Part I:
To complete Part I of the assignment, the students need to locate a copy of an advanced directive (AD) that complies with the laws of the state in which they work. The AD is for personal use, and the students need to identify where they obtained the AD and explain its compliance with state law. Additionally, the students are required to conduct research (1-2 sources) to learn more about the AD in their state and explain how it works. Lastly, the students need to discuss how easy or difficult it was to complete the AD. They should be specific and both objective and subjective.
Answer to Part II:
Part II requires the students to answer questions related to the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form. The questions include what a POLST form is, when it should be completed, who can complete the form, and who needs to sign the form to make it a legal document.
Answer to Part III:
Part III requires the students to tie the two sections together by writing a summary and conclusion. The students need to address the differences between an Advance Health Care Directive and the POLST and the RN’s important role in assuring the patient’s right to autonomy in choosing the healthcare interventions that the patient does or does not want.
Overall, this assignment tests the students’ ability to research and provide detailed information related to the two legislations. The paper needs to be between 3-5 pages in length excluding the title and reference page(s). The students need to cite and reference the course text and at least two (2) additional appropriate professional sources.
