Advanced Care Planning Flashcards

1
Q

What is Power of Attorney?

A

This is a legal document drawn up by a competent adult that nominates another person to make decisions on their behalf. This can be related to financial and property, or health and welfare. It can only be used when that adult has lost capacity.

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2
Q

What is an advance directive?

A

An advance directive is a medical decision made by a patient with capacity, regarding their future wishes for treatment. It only comes into force if a patient subsequently lacks capacity.

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3
Q

What are the 5 key principles underpinning the MCA?

A

Capacity is assumed; it needs to be proven otherwise
Enabling people to make their own decisions
Unwise decisions
Best interests
Less restrictive option

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4
Q

What criteria must be fulfilled in order for an Advanced Decision to be legally binding?

A

​ It must be valid (this means it must have been made at a time when the individual had capacity to make that decision).

​ It must be applicable (this means the wording must be specific to the medical circumstances, and not vague or unclear).

​ It must have been made when the individual was over 18, and fully informed about their decision.

​ It must not have been made under the influence or duress of other people

​ It must be written down, be signed and witnessed (if it concerns a refusal of life-saving treatment)

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5
Q

What is an Advanced Decision and what does it include and not include?

A

An Advanced Decision, short for Advanced Decision to Refuse Treatment, is a legally binding document. Its purpose is to ensure that an individual can refuse a specific treatment(s) that they do not want to have in the future.

Treatments that can be refused include life-sustaining treatments.

It cannot refuse basic care (such as washing), food or drink by mouth, measures designed purely for comfort (e.g. painkillers), or treatment for a mental health condition if the individual is sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

It can also not demand specific treatment or something that is illegal (e.g. assisted dying).

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6
Q

What is an Advanced Statement and what are the legal implications of it?

A

An Advance Statement is sometimes called a “Statement of Wishes and Care Preferences”. It allows an individual to make general statements about their wishes, beliefs, feelings and values and how these influence their preferences for their future care and treatment.

An Advance Statement is not by itself legally binding, but legally must be taken into consideration when making a “best interests” decision on someone’s behalf under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), 2005. This is because one of the criteria of the MCA is that a patient’s “wishes, feelings, beliefs and values” must be taken into consideration; an Advanced Statement provides evidence of this.

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7
Q

What might be included in an Advanced Statement (statement of wishes and care preferences)?

A

Information that can be included in an Advanced Statement can be anything that is important to the individual. This might include:

​ Religious or spiritual views, and those that might relate to care

​ Food preferences

​ Information about your daily routine​ Where you would like to be cared for (in hospital, at home, in a care home etc.)

​ Any people who you would like to be consulted when best interests decisions are being made on your behalf (however this does not give the same legal power as creating a Lasting Power of Attorney)

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8
Q

What is the doctrine of the double effect?

A
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9
Q

What might be considered ‘End of Life’?

A

End of life or the dying phase can be recognised when people are reaching
the following stages in their disease trajectory:
o Bed bound.
o Semi comatose.
o Only able to take sips of fluid.
o Unable to take medicine orally

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10
Q

What symptoms might people face at the end of life phase?

A

o Pain
o Nausea and Vomiting
o Dyspnoea
o Agitation
o Confusion
o Constipation
o Anorexia
o Terminal Secretions

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11
Q

How should death certification state cause of death?

A

o 1a – Cause of death
o 1b – Condition leading to cause of death
o 1c – Additional condition leading to 1b
o 2 – Any contributing factors or conditions

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12
Q

When should death be reported to a coroner?

A

A death should be reported to the coroner when a doctor knows or has
reasonable cause to suspect that the death:

o occurred as a result of poisoning, the use of a controlled drug,
medicinal product, or toxic chemical;

o occurred as a result of trauma, violence or physical injury, whether
inflicted intentionally or otherwise;

o is related to any treatment or procedure of a medical or similar nature;

o occurred as a result of self-harm, (including a failure by the deceased
person to preserve their own life) whether intentional or otherwise;

o occurred as a result of an injury or disease received during, or
attributable to, the course of the person’s work;

o occurred as a result of a notifiable accident, poisoning, or disease;

o occurred as a result of neglect or failure of care by another person;

o Was otherwise unnatural

The coroner should also be informed where:

o The death occurred in custody or otherwise in state detention – of whatever cause. This includes Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding
authorisations (DoLS).

o No attending practitioner attended the deceased at any time in the 14 days prior to death or no attending practitioner is available within a
reasonable period to prepare an MCCD;

o The identity of the deceased is unknown.

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13
Q

What is the role of the coroner?

A

The coroners role is determine who died, where they died and how they died.
They do not comment on care but do have powers to insisit on further local
investigation.

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14
Q

How should N&V be managed when is a result of reduce gastric motility?

A

Pro-kinetic agents are useful in these scenarios as the nausea and vomiting is usually resulting from gastric dysmotility and stasis

According to NICE CKS and BMJ best practice, first-line medications include metoclopramide and domperidone

However, NICE CKS indicate that metoclopramide should not be used when pro-kinesis may negatively affect the gastrointestinal tract, particularly in complete bowel obstruction, gastrointestinal perforation, or immediately following gastric surgery

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15
Q

How should N&V be managed when is a result of chemically mediated aetiology?

A

If possible, the chemical disturbance should be corrected first

In the context of other chemically mediated syndromes, for example due to opioid medications, there are a number of suggested medications

Key treatment options include ondansetron, haloperidol and levomepromazine

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16
Q

How should N&V be managed when is a result of visceral serosal aetiology?

A

Cyclizine and levomepromazine are first-line
Anti-cholinergics such as hyoscine can be useful

17
Q

How should N&V be managed when is a result of raised intracranial pressure?

A

The NICE CKS guidelines recommend using cyclizine for nausea and vomiting due to intracranial disease
Dexamethasone can also be used
Radiotherapy can be considered if there is likely raised intra-cranial pressure due to cranial tumours

18
Q

How should N&V be managed when is a result of vestibular aetiology?

A

NICE CKS and BMJ best practice recommends use of cyclizine as a first-line treatment in disorders due to the vestibular system
Refractory vestibular causes of nausea and vomiting can be treated alternatively with metoclopramide or prochlorperazine
Atypical antipsychotics such as olanzapine or risperidone can be used in refractory cases according to UptoDate

19
Q

How should N&V be managed when is a result of cortical aetiology?

A

If anticipatory nausea is the clear cause, a short acting benzodiazepine such as lorazepam can be useful

If benzodiazepines are not ideal, BMJ best practice recommends use of cyclizine
Ondansetron and metoclopramide can also be trialled

20
Q

What is palliative care?

A

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.

21
Q

What are the four criteria of capacity?

A

1.The individual must be able to understand the information relating to the decision

  1. The individual must be able to retain that information
  2. The individual must be able to weigh up the information and reach a conclusion
  3. The individual must be able to communicate the decision they have made.
22
Q

What is a ReSPECT form?

A

Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment

Documents patients wishes and whether the want to prioritise curative or comfort care, the ceiling of care, summary of patient background

23
Q

What is a deputy appointed by the court of protection?

A

A Deputy is a person appointed by the Court of Protection (COP) to act on your behalf if you are judged to have lost the mental capacity to make certain decisions, for instance about your financial affairs. A Deputy is appointed when the person who has lost capacity has never set up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

24
Q

What is a public guardian?

A

The Public Guardian is an individual who works with the Office of the Public Guardian. Their job is to protect people who lack the mental capacity to look after themselves. They do this by:

registering Enduring Powers of Attorney and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
supervising deputies and working with other organisations such as social services (if the person who lacks capacity is receiving social care).
instructing Court of Protection visitors to visit people who may lack mental capacity and the people who make decisions on their behalf.
reviewing reports from deputies and attorneys acting under a Lasting Power of Attorney.
investigating concerns about how attorneys and deputies are acting, including making reports to the Court of Protection.

25
Q

What is an IMCA?

A

Independent mental capacity advocate (IMCA) services support people who can’t make or understand decisions by stating their views and wishes or securing their rights.
IMCA provision is a separate statutory duty to provide non-instructed advocacy for people who lack capacity to make certain decisions and who have no one able to support and represent them.

Locally commissioned independent
MUST be involved in decision about serious medical treatment or change in accommodation

26
Q

What is a DNACPR

A

Decision to provide immediate guidance to those looking after an individual in health or social care setting on the best action to take or not take should a patient suffer a cardiac arrest or die suddenly.

Medical decision by medical team rather than patient decision (although patient input is involved)

27
Q

What is a ceiling of treatment?

A

The “ceiling” is the limit to how aggressively you are going to treat the patient. Broadly speaking there are 3 categories, though there are nuances here and there:

Full escalation - you will do everything that can be done

Ward-based - you will do everything that happens on a conventional medical ward but will not send the patient to an intensive care unit, regardless of how unwell they become

Palliative - you will do everything you can to make the patient comfortable but will not actively treat their illness

When a patient is unwell and will ultimately die of a condition that is progressing, a Ceiling of Care should be established. This means that doctors should engage with the patient, those close to them and the healthcare team in order to determine what level of treatment is appropriate to give to a specific patient towards the end of their life.

Ceilings of Care can be dynamic and are often less formally documented then Advanced Decisions (which are legally binding). It is important to note that a decision to limit CPR as part of a Ceiling of Care does not hold the same legal significance as a formal DNACPR decision.

28
Q

Ceiling of care - commonly limited treatments?

A

Some treatment are commonly limited, in order to not cause unnecessary or pointless harm.

These commonly include deciding not to give CPR, limiting what ventilation may be given (e.g. non-invasive, invasive or none), and limiting life-prolonging drugs (e.g. antibiotics).

In addition, the decision not to provide artificial nutrition (e.g. via PEG tube) may be taken.

However, some treatments or parts of care cannot be limited by a Ceiling of Care plan.
These include treatments that are not designed to prolong life, but to ensure the patient is comfortable and retains dignity in their death. For example: analgesia (painkillers), offering general nutrition (food and drink), and basic personal care.

29
Q

What is an LPA

A

A patient can give someone (a trusted friend of relative) the legal authority to make decisions on their behalf - in the event that the patient loses the capacity to make decisions for themselves (financial and medical LPA) or that they do not want to (financial LPA only).

There are two types of LPA:
Medical (decisions regarding medical treatments)
Financial (decisions regarding managing the patient’s financial matters including selling their home, paying their mortgages and bills, etc).