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A team of Bluefield State College students is presenting a series of Advanced Directives classes at Bluefield Regional Medical Center and Princeton Community Hospital each Tuesday through November 7. Team members pictured during their initial presentation at BRMC include (left-to-right) Aleah Clark, Ben Wilson, Marie Green, Katie Coffey, Teresa Scott, Cammie Williams, Billy Davis, Chastity Walker, Tammy Sauls, and Merrilee Carson. |
( Bluefield)—Advanced Directives—written documents that express an individual’s wishes regarding organ donation, medical power of attorney, living wills, and end-of-life decisions--permit a person’s requests to be observed during life’s most difficult times. Bluefield State College Baccalaureate Nursing students recently “team taught” the program “Understanding Advanced Directives” at Bluefield Regional Medical Center and Princeton Community Hospital. Student teams will repeat their presentation at BRMC and PCH for the next three Tuesdays.
Tim Harclerode, BRMC’s Vice President/Patient Care Services, observed, “We are very pleased to have a good working relationship with the nursing faculty and students and BSC. This program will benefit the community by educating them of the importance of having their end of life wishes spelled out in a legal document that is kept at the hospital in the event they would require treatment at BRMC.”
At BRMC, a student team that included Aleah Clark, Ben Wilson, Marie Green, Katie Coffey, Teresa Scott, Cammie Williams, Billy Davis, Chastity Walker, Tammy Sauls, and Merrilee Carson explained organ donation, “Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment,” the West Virginia “Do Not Resuscitate Act,” Living Wills, Medical Power of Attorney, and related advanced directives. “Our students detailed how Advanced Directives ensure that you know the options and choose what’s best for you and your family, then put it in writing” explained Betty Blevins, BSC Associate Professor of Nursing.
“Advanced Directives provide the framework for maintaining control of your end-of-life decisions,” noted Teresa Scott. “Your wishes are stated in writing.”
Billy Davis encouraged attendees to consider organ donation. “When I no longer need my vital organs, someone else might,” he said, adding that more than 93,000 individuals are on the organ transplant list.
Cammie Williams detailed what’s covered by a Medical Power of Attorney. “It’s a legally binding document that allows another person to make medical decisions for you when you are no longer competent to do so,” she said.
“A Living Will,” noted Ben Wilson, “tells your doctor how you want to be treated if you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious. Through a Living Will, you can tell your doctor you want to avoid life prolonging interventions like CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation, kidney dialysis, or breathing machines.”
The classes will be presented at BRMC in “Conference Room B” and at PCH’s Education Classroom. The same class is repeated each Tuesday (1 p.m.) through November 7, so that individuals can choose the class that best fits their schedules.
October 18, 2006
School of Nursing & Allied Health Website
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