Ethics & Patient Rights
Living Will
Rhode Island's Rights of the Terminally Ill Act
More about living wills:
- Instructions
- Sample form
NOTE: This information is provided to make you
generally aware of Rhode Island law about living wills and is not intended
as legal advice for your particular situation. For legal advice about
living wills or your health care rights, you should consult with an
attorney. |
A living will is a written document instructing your physician of
your wishes for the withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining
procedures in the event of a terminal condition.
It will uphold these wishes only in situations where your condition
is diagnosed as terminal and where you are unable to make or
communicate decisions. A terminal condition is one that is incurable or irreversible and
which, without the administration of life-sustaining procedures, will
result in death in a relatively short time.
A life-sustaining procedure is any medical procedure that serves
only to prolong the dying process. It does not include any procedure
considered necessary by your attending physician to provide comfort,
care, or alleviate pain.
A living will does not have to be executed on any standard form and
may include any specific instructions you choose. However, to be
valid, your living will must be signed and dated by you as well as by
two witnesses who:
- are not related to you by blood or marriage, and
- know you personally, and
- can attest that you voluntarily signed the document in their
presence.
You may choose the form on this site or any other which provides the
same information.
Important points to remember about a living will:
- You must be at least eighteen years of age and a resident of Rhode
Island for the living will to be legally valid and binding.
- If you have previously executed a durable health care power of
attorney pursuant to Chapter 23-4-10 of the General Laws, and you now
execute a living will, or vice versa, the most recently executed
document will take precedence over your health care decisions.
- You may revoke your living will at any time, verbally or in writing,
without regard to your physical or mental condition.
- Finally, discuss your living will with your doctor and provide him
or her with a copy; it cannot become operative unless he or she is
aware of its existence. You should also bring a copy if you are
admitted to a hospital or other health care facility, so that it can
be made part of your medical record.
Find out more
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