Advance Directives
One of the most important decisions you can make about your care is to complete advance directives in case you can no longer speak for yourself. Advance directives are documents that let others know your wishes about the type of care you want. These documents will only be used if you become unconscious or too ill to communicate yourself.
You can use these documents to let your family and doctor know your decisions for health care if you become unable to decide for yourself. You also may appoint someone you know and trust as your healthcare decision maker to ensure that your choice or decision is honored.
The Tennessee Department of Health offers many resources for healthcare decision making, including advance directives. All of the resources may be found on their website, which is available by clicking the button below.
You can download the advance directives forms and information about these directives from the Department of Health site. All forms have a special section for you to write in specific comments about circumstances in which you would not want CPR, a feeding tube, dialysis or treatment with a breathing machine. You should discuss these comments with your family and doctor so they can better understand what is important to you in receiving medical treatment.