What term describes the set of documents including living wills that guide future medical decisions?

• A. Living will
• B. Power of attorney
• C. Do Not Resuscitate order
• D. Advance directive

Answer: (D)

Advance directive is the umbrella term for the set of documents that guide future medical decisions when a person can’t communicate their wishes. It includes living wills, which spell out preferences for treatments in specific situations, and can also include appointing a health-care proxy to make decisions on the person’s behalf. A Do Not Resuscitate order is a specific instruction about resuscitation and does not describe the entire set of documents. A power of attorney for health care is a separate document naming a decision-maker, which is part of the broader concept but doesn’t by itself cover all the decisions and directives encompassed by an advance directive. So the term that describes the whole collection is advance directive.