[WSBAPT] Conflict in Health Care Directive

Robert R. Cole cole-gilday at stanwoodlaw.net
Wed Aug 26 11:08:20 PDT 2020


I agree with Sandra; that's how I explain it to clients when they ask.

Very Truly Yours,

Robert R. Cole

Law Office of Cole & Gilday, P.C.

10101 - 270th St. NW

Stanwood, WA 98292

(360) 629-2900 (Telephone)

(360) 629-0220 (Fax)

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On 8/25/2020 7:12 PM, Sandra Perkins wrote:
>
> I have always explained it to my clients like this:
>
> We all need food and water to survive, even if we are perfectly 
> healthy.  If we stopped eating and drinking, we would die. Because 
> that is the case, some people believe that artificial nutrition and 
> hydration are not “life support” in the same way that a ventilator and 
> other machines would be. There is a separate paragraph in the Health 
> Care Directive about artificial nutrition and hydration so that 
> everyone can make a separate decision about what they want and do not 
> want.
>
> The majority of my clients want neither—if the HCD applies, they do 
> not want artificial nutrition or hydration to prolong their dying.  A 
> significant minority choose to have artificial hydration but not 
> nutrition, because they believe it would be uncomfortable to die of 
> thirst.  Very few people want both artificial nutrition and hydration, 
> but a few do.
>
> Sandra Perkins
>
> *From:* wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com 
> <mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> 
> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com 
> <mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> *On Behalf Of *Jane Bitz
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 25, 2020 6:40 PM
> *To:* WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com 
> <mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
> *Subject:* Re: [WSBAPT] Conflict in Health Care Directive
>
> I think the specific language indicating the patient’s wishes should 
> always be read to modify the general language in the introduction to 
> the directive.
>
> Interesting that if a client indicates that they want life support, 
> even with a terminal or permanent unconscious condition, then we 
> should probably not use the language from the statute. Or say in the 
> introduction “I understand that I have a right to accept or refuse 
> treatment that would simply prolong the process of my dying as 
> indicated below.”
>
> Jane G. Bitz
>
> Of Counsel
>
> Wolff, Hislop & Crockett, PLLC
>
> 12209 E. Mission Ave, Suite 5
>
> Spokane Valley, WA 99206-4824
>
> (509) 927-9700 x126
>
> FAX: (509) 777-1800
>
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> *From:* wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com 
> <mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> 
> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com 
> <mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> *On Behalf Of *Krista MacLaren
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 25, 2020 5:01 PM
> *To:* wsba probate & trust <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com 
> <mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>>; Marcus Fry <mfry at LYON-LAW.COM 
> <mailto:mfry at LYON-LAW.COM>>
> *Subject:* Re: [WSBAPT] Conflict in Health Care Directive
>
> I always took the life-sustaining treatment language to relate to 
> ventilators, anti-biotic drips, or things other than 
> nutrition/hydration.  I will be interested to see what others say.
>
> Krista J. MacLaren
> Attorney at Law
> Northgate Executive Center II
> 9725 3rd Ave NE, Suite 600
> Seattle WA 98115
> (206) 523-6116
> kjm.inc at icloud.com <mailto:kjm.inc at icloud.com>
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>     On Aug 25, 2020, at 4:49 PM, Marcus Fry <mfry at lyon-law.com
>     <mailto:mfry at lyon-law.com>> wrote:
>
>     I have not run into this and therefore interested in thoughts on
>     the same. Below is the statute for our state’s health care
>     directive.  I have a developing medical situation that the woman
>     is in a coma has a health care directive (appears to be a
>     pre-printed form) that has the exact language from RCW 70.122.030
>     directing “treatment be withheld or withdrawn”, but chose the
>     option of “I DO” want artificially provided nutrition and
>     hydration.  How does one reconcile these two statements?
>
>     RCW 70.122.030(1):
>
>     Directive made this . . . . day of . . . . . . (month, year).
>
>     I . . . . . ., having the capacity to make health care decisions,
>     willfully, and voluntarily make known my desire that my dying
>     shall not be artificially prolonged under the circumstances set
>     forth below, and do hereby declare that:
>
>     (a)If at any time I should be diagnosed in writing to be ina
>     terminal condition by the attending physician, or ina permanent
>     unconscious condition by two physicians, and where the application
>     of life-sustaining treatment would serve only to artificially
>     prolong the process of my dying, I direct that such treatment be
>     withheld or withdrawn, and that I be permitted to die naturally.I
>     understand by using this form that a terminal condition means an
>     incurable and irreversible condition caused by injury, disease, or
>     illness, that would within reasonable medical judgment cause death
>     within a reasonable period of time in accordance with accepted
>     medical standards, and where the application of life-sustaining
>     treatment would serve only to prolong the process of dying. I
>     further understand in using this form that a permanent unconscious
>     condition means an incurable and irreversible condition in which I
>     am medically assessed within reasonable medical judgment as having
>     no reasonable probability of recovery from an irreversible coma or
>     a persistent vegetative state.
>
>     (b) In the absence of my ability to give directions regarding the
>     use of such life-sustaining treatment, it is my intention that
>     this directive shall be honored by my family and physician(s) as
>     the final expression of my legal right to refuse medical or
>     surgical treatment and I accept the consequences of such refusal.
>     If another person is appointed to make these decisions for me,
>     whether through a durable power of attorney or otherwise, I
>     request that the person be guided by this directive and any other
>     clear expressions of my desires.
>
>     (c)If I am diagnosed to be in aterminal condition or in apermanent
>     unconscious condition(check one):
>
>     I DO want to have artificially provided nutrition and hydration.
>
>     I DO NOT want to have artificially provided nutrition and hydration.
>
>     (d) If I have been diagnosed as pregnant and that diagnosis is
>     known to my physician, this directive shall have no force or
>     effect during the course of my pregnancy.
>
>     (e) I understand the full import of this directive and I am
>     emotionally and mentally capable to make the health care decisions
>     contained in this directive.
>
>     (f) I understand that before I sign this directive, I can add to
>     or delete from or otherwise change the wording of this directive
>     and that I may add to or delete from this directive at any time
>     and that any changes shall be consistent with Washington state law
>     or federal constitutional law to be legally valid.
>
>     (g) It is my wish that every part of this directive be fully
>     implemented. If for any reason any part is held invalid it is my
>     wish that the remainder of my directive be implemented.
>
>     	
>
>     Signed . . . .
>
>     City, County, and State of Residence
>
>     The declarer has been personally known to me or has provided proof
>     of identity and I believe him or her to be capable of making
>     health care decisions.
>
>     	
>
>     Witness . . . .
>
>     	
>
>     Witness . . . .
>
>     Thank you,
>
>     Marcus J. Fry
>
>     Lyon, Weigand & Gustafson, P.S.
>
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