Ethics

Answer

How a Nurse can help Resolve Advance Directive Discrepancy between a Couple

An advance directive is a legal document in which an individual specifies what measures should be taken for their therapy or end-of-life care in situations where they cannot decide for themselves. Advance directives often require individuals to involve their family members or spouses to ensure that their wishes are fulfilled (Treas et al., 2018). This article aims to discuss how nurses can help resolve advance directive discrepancies between couples and evaluate some of the procedures and laws related to advance care planning. The report will utilize Nam and Nguyen, a couple with different notions concerning advance care.

First, I would inform Nam that thinking about healthcare concerns and implementing an advance directive can be done by any individual regardless of age. Nam needs to understand that through honest conversations with loved ones, one can explain what is essential and what kind of treatment to implement or evade. Advance directives save family and relatives from uncertainty, guilt, and conflict concerning the treatment and end-of-life care if a person is unable to make a decision.

To solve the discrepancy between Nam and Nguyen, it is essential to first educate the couple about the benefits and procedures of creating an advance healthcare directive (Russell, 2017). The discrepancy between Nam and Nguyen results from a lack of awareness about the processes and the factors associated with treatment plans within an advance directive. For instance, Yen needs to understand that an advance directive represents an individual's will concerning treatment that should be provided in worse case scenarios (Treas et al., 2018). Yen should know that advance directives are designed to allow individuals to express their desires and values related to end-of-life care. Medical experts indicate that advance care planning refers to a living document that an individual can alter as their situations change due to new information or change in their health. Explaining this notion to Yen will enable her to comprehend that Nam has a right to decide on the type of treatment he prefers to include in his advance directive. 

On the other hand, Nam needs to know that an advance directive incorporates ideas from family members, including spouses. Informing his spouse about the decision to end-of-life treatment will help Yen ensure that his wish is carried out. Yen needs to understand that even though she can be involved in the decision making procedure, Nam has the final say about his end-of-life treatment (Russell, 2017). In some cases, some couples prefer to keep the advance directive a secret from their spouse to avoid discrepancies. For instance, Nam can consider obtaining legal documents that restrict Yen from accessing his end-of-life care by including the durable power of attorney that indicates who handles Nam's healthcare and finances if he becomes incapacitated.

The best way to ensure that Nam and Nguyen's discrepancy are solved is to educate the individuals about the procedures and policies that need to be followed when choosing an advance directive. By reviewing Nam and Nguyen's situation, it is easy to notice that these individuals have different philosophical and religious beliefs (Treas et al., 2018). Hence, they need to know that this is common for most individuals. Thus, it will be essential to inform the couple of different approaches that have been implemented to address such differences. For instance, the couple should understand that care providers can respond to this situation by reducing patient/family preferences on care decisions.

Conclusion

Nam and Nguyen need to understand that anyone can do advance care planning regardless of age. In these modern times, many individuals encounter concerns about medical treatment, and on some occasions, such as emergency or at the end of life, they cannot make treatment decisions. The couple needs to comprehend that advance directives are related to a living will and should be respected since it is an individual wish. Furthermore, they should know that some occasions may require the will to alter if the individual accountable was or is not in a stable state of mind. The discrepancy between Nam and Nguyen can be solved by educating and providing more information about advance directives.