A frail, elderly widow is admitted to the hospital after sustaining a fall. The client lives alone and has no living relatives
After cognitive testing reveals mild cognitive impairment, the interdisciplinary team on the Acute Care for the Elderly Unit recommends long-term care placement and that a durable power of at-torney for health care (DPOA-HC) be established. When the client seems confused over what a DPOA-HC's responsibilities are, the nurse responds that:
a. "A DPOA-HC is a person you name to make health care decisions for you when you can't make them for yourself."
b. "A DPOA-HC is a person you trust to make financial decisions for you and to manage your money."
c. "A DPOA-HC is a person appointed by the court to make sure you get good care and to manage your affairs."
d. "A DPOA-HC is a person who is ap-pointed by the court to make nursing home placement decisions for your care."
ANS: A
A person designated by the individual to make health care decisions when the individual is not able is the definition of durable power of attorney for health care. A power of attorney is a per-son designated by the individual to make financial decisions when the individual is not able to or at his or her request. The definition of a guardian is a person appointed by the court to have care, custody, and control of a disabled person and to manage personal and/or financial affairs. A guardian is able to make many more decisions than just nursing home placement decisions.
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