Advance Directive

Living Will

An Advance Directive is a document which allows you to give written instruction to your health care professionals indicating the type of health care you would wish to receive or reject in the event you become unable to express these decisions yourself. You do not need an attorney or physician to create one, although you may consult one if you wish. There are three different types of Advance Directives:

Proxy Directive – In this document you name a person as your health care representative to make health care decisions on your behalf when you are unable to make these decisions. Your proxy can interpret your wishes to your physicians when you are unable.

Instruction Directive – In this document you provide written instructions about the type of health care you would want or not want performed for you under various circumstances.

Combined Directive – In this document, you name both a health care representative and provide written instruction.

All patients entering Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital will be asked upon admission whether they have an Advance Directive, and if so, they will be asked to provide it to the Admissions Coordinator. A copy of the Advance Directive will be made part of your medical record. Your physician will make note of the Advance Directive and the name of your health care representative in your medical record. From time to time, your physician, nurse or other hospital staff member may offer to discuss your Advance Directive and available treatment options with you in an effort to assist you. Any physician who feels he or she cannot honor the terms of your Advance Directive based on moral, ethical or religious grounds will assist you in transferring care to another attending physician who can honor your directive.

When writing your Advance Directive, you should be as specific as possible as to the conditions and situations under which you would want to receive or reject particular health care treatment. Your Advance Directive takes effect only when you no longer have the ability to make your own decisions about your health care. You may modify or revoke your Advance Directive at any time merely by informing a physician, nurse or anyone else who can notify them of your choices. Naturally, you have the right to change your mind at any time.

Although hospital employees will not prepare an Advance Directive for you, you may request forms prepared by The New Jersey Commission on Legal and Ethical Problems in the Delivery of Health Care. These forms include informational materials that describe terms you should understand before you begin to write your Advance Directive. To obtain these materials, please contact one of the following departments at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital: