A 77-year-old female is unresponsive, but breathing and with a pulse. On scene, a family member hands you an official document stating that the patient does not want feeding tubes, ventilators, or other long-term life support equipment to keep her alive. There is no mention of whether to administer life-saving drugs or withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The EMT would recognize this document as a(n):

Question

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The official document stating the patient's wishes regarding life support equipment is a living will document. However, since there is no mention of CPR or administration of life-saving drugs, the EMT should assume that these interventions are to be provided. If the patient had a separate Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, it would override any instructions in the living will document.

A 77-Year-Old Female Is Unresponsive, but Breathing and with a Pulse