I. Introduction
II. Prevalence of Advance Directives
III. Scenarios Involving the Use of Advance Directives
1. Scenario 1: Elderly Man with Cancer
2. Scenario 2: Elderly Woman with Advanced Dementia
3. Scenario 3: Elderly Woman with a Stroke
4. Scenario 4: An Oncology Patient
IV. Common Types of Advance Directives
1. Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders (DNR)
2. Living Will
3. Medical Power of Attorney
4. Physician Orders for Life-sustaining Treatment (POLST)
5. Instructional Directive
6. Consulting an Attorney
V. Choosing a Health Care Agent
VI. Using an Advance Directive
1. Communicating the Advance Directive to Others
2. When an Advance Directive is Activated
VII. Changes to Advance Directives
VIII. Medical Treatments to Consider
1. Resuscitation
2. Mechanical Ventilation
3. Nutrition and Hydration
4. Hemodialysis
5. Comfort Care
6. Organ Donation
IX. Barriers to End-Of-Life Care
X. Advance Directives and Resolving Conflicts
XI. Case Study 1
Discussion
XII. Case Study 2
XIII. Conversations About Patient Goals and General Preferences
XIV. Future Directions of Advance Directive and DNR Policy
XV. New Directions During COVID-19 Pandemic
XVI. Summary