Advance Directive and ANA Code of Ethics

Advance Directive and ANA Code of Ethics

Author

Institution

An advance directive describes a document through which an individual makes a provision for health care decisions in case, in the future, the individual becomes incapacitated in making a decision regarding his treatment wishes. The advance directive constitutes the durable power of attorney for health and the living will (Guinn, 2008). A living will tells the type of treatment that an individual desires in case he is permanently unconscious or dying; an individual can refuse or accept medical care depending on his wishes as spelt in the living will. On the other hand, the durable power of attorney for health care is an advance directive that gives an individual’s health care proxy. The advance directive is a vital document since it serves the function of permitting an individual to make his health care choices, in the future. Without the advance directive, an individual will not have the capacity of expressing his health care desires to be pursued in the future, when he is not capable of making the health care decision (Guinn, 2008).

In carrying out health care practices, nurses need to follow the code of ethics. The code of ethics provides an outline of the rules, values, responsibilities and duties that nurses must follow in giving quality health care to individuals. The American Nurses association code of ethics outlines such guidelines and responsibilities that nurses need to adhere to in order to ensure ethical standards are followed in the provision of health care services. Therefore, the chief purpose of American Nurses Association code of ethics is to provide ethical standards that nurses should follow in order to ensure that they provide quality health care services to individuals. It provides the nurse with a guideline of what to do and what not to, when providing health care services. In addition, the American Nurses association code of ethics serves the purpose of aiding nurses in making ethical decisions, when provi.............