Health Care Advance Directives, Living Will, Designation Of Health Care Surrogate Template, Uniform Donor Form Page 3
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9What should I do with my advance directive if I choose to have one?
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If you designate a health care surrogate and an alternate surrogate be sure to ask them if they agree to
take this responsibility, discuss how you would like matters handled, and give them a copy of the
document.
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Make sure that your health care provider, attorney, and the significant persons in your life know that
you have an advance directive and where it is located. You also may want to give them a copy.
•
Set up a file where you can keep a copy of your advance directive (and other important paperwork).
Some people keep original papers in a bank safety deposit box. If you do, you may want to keep
copies at your house or information concerning the location of your safety deposit box.
•
Keep a card or note in your purse or wallet that states that you have an advance directive and where it
is located.
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If you change your advance directive, make sure your health care provider, attorney and the
significant persons in your life have the latest copy.
If you have questions about your advance directive you may want to discuss these with your health care
provider, attorney, or the significant persons in your life.
More Information On Health Care Advance Directives
Before making a decision about advance directives you might want to consider additional options and
other sources of information, including the following:
•
As an alternative to a health care surrogate, or in addition to, you might want to designate a durable
power of attorney. Through a written document you can name another person to act on your behalf. It
is similar to a health care surrogate, but the person can be designated to perform a variety of activities
(financial, legal, medical, etc.). You can consult an attorney for further information or read Chapter
709, Florida Statutes.
If you choose someone as your durable power of attorney be sure to ask the person if he or she will
agree to take this responsibility, discuss how you would like matters handled, and give the person a
copy of the document.
•
If you are terminally ill (or if you have a loved one who is in a persistent vegetative state) you may
want to consider having a pre-hospital Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNRO). A DNRO identifies
people who do not wish to be resuscitated from respiratory or cardiac arrest. The pre-hospital DNRO
is a specific yellow form available from the Florida Department of Health (DOH). Your attorney,
health care provider, or an ambulance service may also have copies available for your use. You, or
your legal representative, and your physician sign the DNRO form. More information is available on
the DOH website,
or
(type DNRO in these website search
engines) or call (850) 245-4440.
When you are admitted to a hospital the pre-hospital DNRO may be used during your hospital stay or
the hospital may have its own form and procedure for documenting a Do Not Resuscitate Order.
•
If a person chooses to donate, after death, his or her body for medical training and research the
donation will be coordinated by the Anatomical Board of the State of Florida. You, or your
survivors, must arrange with a local funeral home, and pay, for a preliminary embalming and
transportation of the body to the Anatomical Board located in Gainesville, Florida. After being used
for medical education or research, the body will ordinarily be cremated. The cremains will be
returned to the loved ones, if requested at the time of donation, or the Anatomical Board will spread
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