Understanding Decision Making and Guardianship: The When, The Why and the How

March 12, 2025

There may be times when a patient is in need of medical care or placement and are not able to make decisions for themselves. At that time, it is necessary to identify a medical decision maker/POA or NOK to assist and this can be a difficult task. This session will provide methods that will assist with this process.

This session will also describe steps on how to prepare for applying for guardianship and the court process.

Target Audience

Nurse

Social Worker

Learning Objectives

Explain the different methods to determine medical decision maker/Power of Attorney (POA)/Next of Kin (NOK)​

Identify steps for NOK search

Describe how to prepare for Guardianship including the court process

Additional Information

AttachmentSize
File Grand Rounds Objectives 3.12.25.pptx3.54 MB
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 ASWB
  • 1.00 Attendance
Course opens: 
03/12/2025
Course expires: 
06/30/2025
Event starts: 
03/12/2025 - 11:30am EDT
Event ends: 
03/12/2025 - 12:30pm EDT
Add to calendar: 

There may be times when a patient is in need of medical care or placement and are not able to make decisions for themselves. At that time, it is necessary to identify a medical decision maker/POA or NOK to assist and this can be a difficult task. This session will provide methods that will assist with this process.

This session will also describe steps on how to prepare for applying for guardianship and the court process.

Teams Meeting
Pittsburgh, PA
United States

Jill Talbert, LCSW

Gary Gushard, Esquire

In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. University of Pittsburgh maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 continuing education credits.

Social Work (ASWB)

This program is offered for 1.0 hours of social work continuing education.

Nursing (ANCC)
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.0 contact hours.

Other Healthcare Professionals:

Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 ASWB
  • 1.00 Attendance
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