A patient asks the nurse. "I already signed advanced directives, why should I also have a durable power of attorney for health care?" The nurse should provide which of the following answers about durable power of attorney?

A. It gives your agent the authority to make health care decisions if you are unable to during an illness: A durable power of attorney for health care allows the designated person (agent) to make medical decisions on behalf of the patient if they lose decision-making capacity. B. It can be used only if you have a terminal illness and become incapacitated: This description confuses a durable power of attorney with a living will. A durable power of attorney applies in any situation where the patient is unable to make healthcare decisions, not only terminal illness. C. It authorizes your physician to make decisions about your care that are in your best interest: Physicians may provide recommendations, but they are not the designated decision-makers under a durable power of attorney. The authority lies with the patient’s chosen agent. D. It can be given only to a relative, usually the next of kin, who has your best interests at heart: The patient may appoint any trusted individual, not necessarily a relative. Limiting the agent to next of kin is inaccurate and reduces the patient’s autonomy in decision-making.