Date of Award
Spring 5-15-2025
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Janis Schiefelbein, jschiefelbein@pittstate.edu
Second Advisor
Gena Coomes, gcoomes@pittstate.edu
Third Advisor
Ananda Jayawardhana, ajayawardhana@pittstate.edu
Abstract
In the acute care setting, the condition and stability of patients can change in an instant. Oftentimes, patients that were ambulatory, independent, and high functioning may be rendered critically ill and unable to communicate due to the rapid onset of an illness. When this happens, the care team must act quickly to stabilize the patient by any means necessary. With the wealth of medical knowledge and technology available in modern healthcare, life may be sustained indefinitely with the help of machinery such as ventilators, continuous renal replacement therapy, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. While some patients may welcome these interventions, others would prefer not to be treated if there is little chance of regaining consciousness or lucidity. The problem arises when critically ill patients cannot verbalize what degree of intervention they wish to partake in, leaving their support system and healthcare team to act on their behalf. Advance directives allow the patient to dictate their healthcare treatment decisions prior to an emergency. Unfortunately, most people are unaware of what advance directives are or how to go about establishing one. As healthcare providers who spend hours at the bedside each day, nurses are arguably in the best position to educate patients about how they can take charge of their care through the formation of an advance directive.
Recommended Citation
Parres, Piper E., "Increasing Formation of Advance Directives in Acute care Through Staff Education" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project. 118.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/dnp/118
