Biomaterial Database

The living will: legal and ethical perspectives. 1992

J L Wold

Georgia State University, School of Nursing, Atlanta 30302-4019.

Problems surrounding issues of dying and death are many. Health professionals, families and individuals all must cope with different aspects of these problems. The living will has been discussed as one way people can alleviate many of the problems associated with the decision to die with dignity. Nurses are in the perfect position to educate people concerning the benefits of having a living will. As patient advocate, it is imperative nurses be apprised of the laws in their states regarding living wills. By initiating a living will, individuals can make their wishes known to both family and the medical establishment. Increased public education concerning state living will legislation and concomitant rights under these laws is needed. Through education, many of the legal and ethical issues that arise from ignorance of the law may be avoided before they become problems.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004992	Ethics, Medical	The principles of professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of the physician, relations with patients and fellow practitioners, as well as actions of the physician in patient care and interpersonal relations with patient families.	Medical Ethics
D004993	Ethics, Nursing	The principles of proper professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of nurses themselves, their patients, and their fellow practitioners, as well as their actions in the care of patients and in relations with their families.	Nursing Ethics,Ethic, Nursing,Nursing Ethic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013405	Suicide	The act of killing oneself.	Suicides
D016223	Advance Directives	Declarations by patients, made in advance of a situation in which they may be incompetent to decide about their own care, stating their treatment preferences or authorizing a third party to make decisions for them. (Bioethics Thesaurus)	Health Care Power of Attorney,Medical Power of Attorney,Healthcare Power of Attorney,Psychiatric Wills,Ulysses Contracts,Advance Directive,Attorney Healthcare Power,Attorney Medical Power,Contract, Ulysses,Contracts, Ulysses,Directive, Advance,Directives, Advance,Psychiatric Will,Ulysses Contract,Will, Psychiatric,Wills, Psychiatric
D016224	Living Wills	Written, witnessed declarations in which persons request that if they become disabled beyond reasonable expectation of recovery, they be allowed to die rather than be kept alive by extraordinary means. (Bioethics Thesaurus)	Living Will,Will, Living,Wills, Living