What is the nurse's role in evaluating a living will?

Teaching the client about the implications of a living will is an essential aspect of the nurse's role in the context of advance care planning. A living will is a legal document that outlines a person's preferences regarding medical treatment in situations where they may be unable to communicate their wishes due to illness or incapacitation.

By educating the client about their living will, the nurse helps ensure that the client understands what the document entails, such as the types of treatments they may want or not want, and the circumstances under which these preferences would be applied. This understanding is critical for clients to make informed decisions that reflect their values and desires regarding end-of-life care.

In contrast, drafting the living will may typically be outside the nurse's scope of practice, as this often requires legal expertise. Storing the document in medical records is an important administrative function but does not constitute an evaluative role. Lastly, ignoring the living will if the client changes their mind would undermine the entire purpose of the document, which is meant to provide guidance based on the client’s wishes, regardless of any changes. Thus, teaching about the living will empowers clients to take an active role in their care planning.