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| Advance directive |
A general term that
describes two kinds of legal documents, living wills and medical
powers of attorney. These documents allow a person to give
instructions about future medical care should he or she be unable to
participate in medical decisions due to serious illness or incapacity.
Each state regulates the use of advance directives differently. |
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| Artificial nutrition and hydration: | Artificial
nutrition and hydration supplements or replaces ordinary eating and
drinking by giving a chemically balanced mix of nutrients and fluids
through a tube placed directly into the stomach, the upper intestine or a
vein. |
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| Capacity | In
relation to end-of-life decision-making, a patient has medical
decision making capacity if he or she has the ability to understand
the medical problem and the risks and benefits of the available
treatment options. The patient’s ability to understand other unrelated
concepts is not relevant. The term is frequently used interchangeably
with competency but is not the same. Competency is a legal status
imposed by the court. |
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| Cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a group of treatments used when
someone’s heart and/or breathing stops. CPR is used in an attempt to
restart the heart and breathing. It may consist only of mouth-to-mouth
breathing or it can include pressing on the chest to mimic the heart’s
function and cause blood to circulate. Electric shock and drugs also
are used frequently to stimulate the heart |
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| Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order | A DNR order is a
physician’s written order instructing healthcare providers not to attempt
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of cardiac or respiratory
arrest. A person with a valid DNR order will not be given CPR under these
circumstances. Although the DNR order is written at the request of a
person or his or her family, it must be signed by a physician to be valid.
A non-hospital DNR order is written for individuals who are at home and do
not want to receive CPR. |
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| Emergency Medical Services (EMS) | A
group of governmental and private agencies that provide emergency
care, usually to persons outside of healthcare facilities; EMS
personnel generally include paramedics, first responders and other
ambulance crew. |
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| Healthcare agent |
The person named in an advance directive or as permitted under state
law to make healthcare decisions on behalf of a person who is no
longer able to make medical decisions. |
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| Hospice |
Considered to be the model for quality, compassionate care for people
facing a life-limiting illness or injury, hospice and palliative care
involve a team-oriented approach to expert medical care, pain
management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to
the person's needs and wishes. Support is provided to the persons
loved ones as well. |
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| Intubations |
Refers to "endotracheal intubation" the
insertion of a tube through the mouth or nose into the trachea (windpipe)
to create and maintain an open airway to assist breathing. |
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| Life-sustaining treatment |
Treatments (medical procedures) that replace or support an essential
bodily function (may also be called life support treatments).
Life-sustaining treatments include cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and hydration, dialysis,
and other treatments. |
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| Living will | A
type of advance directive in which an individual documents his or her
wishes about medical treatment should he or she be at the end of life
and unable to communicate. It may also be called a “directive to
physicians”, “healthcare declaration,” or “medical directive.” |
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| Mechanical ventilation |
Mechanical ventilation is used to support or replace the function of
the lungs. A machine called a ventilator (or respirator) forces air
into the lungs. The ventilator is attached to a tube inserted in the
nose or mouth and down into the windpipe (or trachea). |
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| Medical power of attorney | A
document that allows an individual to appoint someone else to make
decisions about his or her medical care if he or she is unable to
communicate. This type of advance directive may also be called a
healthcare proxy, durable power of attorney for healthcare or
appointment of a healthcare agent. The person appointed may be called
a healthcare agent, surrogate, attorney-in-fact or proxy. |
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| Palliative care | A
comprehensive approach to treating serious illness that focuses on the
physical, psychological and spiritual, and existential needs of the
patient. Its goal is to achieve the best quality of life available to
the patient by relieving suffering and controlling pain and symptoms. |
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| Power of attorney | A
legal document allowing one person to act in a legal matter on
another's behalf regarding to financial or real estate transactions. |
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| Respiratory arrest |
The cessation of breathing - an event in which an individual stops
breathing. If breathing is not restored, an individual's heart
eventually will stop breathing, resulting in cardiac arrest. |
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| Surrogate decision-making |
Surrogate decision-making laws allow an individual or group of
individuals (usually family members) to make decisions about medical
treatments for a patient who has lost decision-making capacity and did
not prepare an advance directive. A majority of states have passed
statutes that permit surrogate decision making for people without
advance directives. |
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| Ventilator | A
ventilator, also known as a respirator, is a machine that pushes air
into the lungs through a tube placed in the trachea (breathing tube).
Ventilators are used when a person cannot breathe on his or her own or
cannot breathe effectively enough to provide adequate oxygen to the
cells of the body or rid the body of carbon dioxide. |
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| Withholding or withdrawing treatment |
Forgoing life-sustaining measures or discontinuing them after they
have been used for a certain period of time. |
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