Colorado CNA Practice Exam

The correct answer, an advance directive, refers to a legal document that outlines a person's preferences for medical treatment in situations where they may be unable to communicate their wishes due to incapacitation. This document provides guidance to healthcare providers and family members, ensuring that the individual's choices regarding medical care are honored even when they cannot express them.

In this context, a durable power of attorney is specifically designated to allow another person to make decisions on one’s behalf, and while it can cover health-related decisions, it is broader and not limited to just medical care. A living will, on the other hand, specifically states a person’s wishes about medical treatment at the end of life but may not cover other medical decisions. Lastly, a health care proxy is a specific type of advance directive where a person designates someone else to make health care decisions on their behalf. Each of these terms relates to medical decision-making, but an advance directive encompasses a wider scope of directives regarding overall medical care preferences.