- Your mother’s condition requires she be put on a ventilator to survive. How do you make this decision for her?
Your spouse has just received a diagnosis of terminal cancer. Where can you turn for clarity in choosing a treatment plan together?
You need to make the health care decisions for your father who just suffered a stroke and is no longer able to communicate. Who can help you identify your options?
We can help. When you become a Ridgeview patient, you are in the hands of professionals who see you as a whole person, not just someone with a medical condition. While our primary purpose is to treat you, we also respect your wishes to live in a manner consistent with your principles and values.
We have resources available to help your and your family make decisions about the care you receive at Ridgeview. We will put you in touch with them quickly, so we can better understand your unique situation and explain your care options.
Our inpatient resources include:
■ Patient Care Conference—Ridgeview patients and their friends and families can schedule a patient care conference with a nurse, doctor or other health care provider to talk more specifically about a health care directive, treatment preferences, discharge planning, coping methods or any other concerns that arise in facing a serious illness and hospital stay.
After you talk with you primary nurse or physician about this, Ridgeview Social Services will arrange a conference for you. Usually, this conference is conducted in the patient’s room and typically takes less than an hour to complete.
■ Five Wishes®—Ridgeview provides this health care directive (sometimes called an advance directive or living will) to all admitting patients with our compliments. This document helps patients think through and communicate the level of care they desire when being hospitalized. Learn more about Five Wishes.
For at-home emergencies, we recommend:
■ Vial of Life—Take advantage of this free kit, offered free of charge to residents of Carver County, to ensure that vital medical information is easily accessible to emergency personnel in a crisis situation. Learn more about the Vial of Life Program.
More answers to end-of-life questions