Assessment of decision-making capacity is becoming an increasingly important and controversial issue in the care of older adults. Advanced practice nurses are frequently asked to give an opinion about an older adult’s decisional capacity. How does one evaluate decision-making capacity and who is qualified to do this? Can adults with dementia still make decisions about their health care? This panel presentation, featuring a psychiatrist/internist, ethics professor, social worker, and APN, will utilize discussion and case studies to share state-of-the-art assessments of decisional capacity and provide an update to guide clinicians in this ever-evolving and important issue.

Contact hours available until 9/21/2015.

Requirements for Successful Completion:
Complete the learning activity in its entirety and complete the online CNE evaluation.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure:
Speakers have no disclosures to declare.

Planning Committee members have no disclosures to declare.

Commercial Support and Sponsorship:
No commercial support or sponsorship declared.

Accreditation Statement:
This educational activity has been co-provided by Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. and GAPNA.

Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, provider number, CEP 5387.

Objectives:

Discriminate between legal competence and assessing decision-making ability.
Describe the process for assessing an older adult’s ability to make health care decisions.
Discuss the impact of decisional capacity in dementia care and future areas of research to guide assessment of decisional capacity.

Anna Treinkman MSN, RN, ANP

Appearances