• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Legal Templates

Legal Templates
  • Business Forms

    Business & Contracts

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by licensed attorneys. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Business Forms

    Business Formation
    • Business Plan
    • LLC Operating Agreement
    • Articles of Incorporation
    • Corporate Bylaws
    • Buy-Sell Agreement
    Business Operations
    • Business Contract
    • Partnership Agreement
    • Non-Disclosure Agreement
    • Release of Liability
    • Letter of Intent
    Sales and Payments
    • Purchase Agreement
    • Sales Agreement
    • Invoice
    • Purchase Order
    • Business Purchase
    Employment and HR
    • Employment Contract
    • Employment Offer
    • Employment Verification
    • Freelance Contract
    • Non-Compete Agreement
    View All Business Forms
  • Real Estate Forms

    Real Estate

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by licensed attorneys. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Real Estate Forms

    Landlords
    • Lease Agreement
    • Property Management
    • Eviction Notice
    • Late Rent Notice
    • Lease Termination
    Tenants
    • Room Rental
    • Sublease Agreement
    • Roommate Agreement
    • Notice to Vacate
    • Early Lease Termination
    Home Ownership
    • Real Estate Purchase Agreement
    • Mortgage Deed
    • Quitclaim Deed
    • Deed of Trust
    • Moving Checklist
    View all Real Estate Forms
  • Personal & Family Forms

    Personal and Family

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by licensed attorneys. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Personal and Family Forms

    Estate Planning
    • Power of Attorney
    • Last Will & Testament
    • Living Will
    • Advance Directive
    • DNR Form
    Personal Finance
    • Bill of Sale
    • Loan Agreement
    • Purchase Agreement
    • Promissory Note
    • Sales Agreement
    Family Matters
    • Parenting Plan
    • Child Travel Consent
    • Divorce Agreement
    • Separation Agreement
    • Prenuptial Agreement
    Affidavits
    • General Affidavit
    • Gift Affidavit
    • Affidavit of Identity
    • Affidavit of Residence
    • Affidavit of Death
    View All Personal Forms
  • Support
    Resources
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Personal and Family
    • Financial
    • Estate Planning
    Support
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • All Legal Documents

    Monday - Friday | 9AM - 7PM EDT

    (855) 335-9779

  • Sign In
  • :email

Home Personal & Family Documents Power of Attorney Medical Tennessee

Free Tennessee Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

Use our Tennessee Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care form to let someone make medical decisions for you if you become unable to do so.

Updated May 15, 2022 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

A Tennessee (TN) Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, also called a Medical Power of Attorney (MPOA), lets you choose someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to communicate due to illness.  The person you choose is called your agent or attorney-in-fact.

In Tennessee, a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care can also be referred to as a Durable Medical Power of Attorney or Health Care POA.

Laws: TN Code Title 34, Chapter 6, Part 2 governs the creation of Medical Powers of Attorney in Tennessee.

In addition to your MPOA, consider adding the following documents to your end-of-life care plan:

  • Living Will: tells your medical professionals what your end-of-life wishes are, and what kind of care you wish to have if you lose the ability to express your wishes.
  • (Financial) Power of Attorney: it gives an agent of your choice permission to manage your financial affairs, such as buying and selling real estate, or managing your bank accounts.

How to Fill in a Medical Power of Attorney in Tennessee

Use these guidelines to make sure your MPOA form adheres to  TN Code § 34-6-2.

Step 1: Choose an Agent

Your agent also called your attorney-in-fact, is responsible for carrying out your medical decisions if you can’t communicate your wishes.

Who should you choose as an agent?

Your agent should be a trustworthy person who’s mature enough to make medical decisions on your behalf. It’s also important to choose someone who understands your beliefs and values.

Who can’t be your agent?

You can’t name the following people as your healthcare agent in TN:

  • Your healthcare provider
  • Any employee of your healthcare provider (unless they’re related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption)
  • Your conservator (unless you get authorization from an attorney stating they’ve advised you about this decision)

Relevant law: TN Code § 34-6-203

Can you have more than one agent?

Yes, you can have an alternate agent in the event that your first choice cannot make health care decisions on your behalf.

Relevant Law: TN Code § 34-6-204

Step 2: Specify what healthcare decisions your agent can make

In this section, you can decide how much power you want to give your agent when it comes to your medical records, treatment, and some post-death decisions.

Can you limit your agent’s powers?

Yes, you can choose which powers your agent has over your health care by including instructions in your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.

If you choose not to limit your agent’s power, they’ll be authorized to make any decision you would normally make about your medical care such as:

  • Authorizing an autopsy or organ donation
  • Accessing your medical records
  • Deciding which medicines you take

You can use your MPOA document to specify that you don’t want your agent to make a certain decision on your behalf, and you can also leave instructions about treatments you would or wouldn’t want to receive.

Relevant Law: TN Code § 34-6-204

What is your agent legally unable to do?

Your agent can’t make any decision that goes against your wishes or is illegal. It’s important to be specific about what treatments you don’t want to receive (or any other ways you want to limit your agent’s powers) since this is the main restriction on their powers.

Relevant Law: TN Code § 34-6-204 and TN Code § 34-6-205

When can your agent start making decisions for you?

You can make your own decisions as long as you are capable of clearly expressing your wishes. When your doctor decides that you can no longer make decisions on your own, your agent will start making decisions for you.

Relevant Law: TN Code § 34-6-204

Step 3: Sign the form

To be legally binding in Tennessee, your Medical Power of Attorney must include the date of execution and be signed according to the following requirements:

Do you need a witness or notary signatures?

Your Tennessee MPOA must be either notarized or witnessed by two competent adults to be legally binding.

Relevant Law: TN Code § 34-6-203

Who can’t be a witness?

You can’t use your agent or alternate agent as a witness. Additionally, at least one of your witnesses can’t be:

  • Someone related to you by marriage, blood, or adoption
  • Someone who will inherit from you after your death

Relevant Law: TN Code § 34-6-203

How long is your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care effective in Tennessee?

Your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is valid indefinitely until you revoke it.

How to Revoke a Tennessee Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

As long as you are competent, you can revoke your MPOA through any of the following methods:

  • Creating a written Revocation of Power of Attorney form
  • Notifying your doctor verbally or in writing that you are revoking your agent’s power
  • Notifying your agent(s) verbally or in writing that you are revoking your MPOA
  • Creating a new form with different terms

Additionally, if your spouse is your agent, annulling your marriage or getting divorced will automatically revoke your MPOA.

Relevant Law: TN Code §34-6-207

Related Will & Estate Planning Documents

  • DNR Form: States that you refuse resuscitation via CPR in the event that your heart stops beating or you stop breathing.
  • Last Will and Testament: Outline your wishes for how your property and affairs are handled when you pass away.
  • Advance Directive: Declare your health care wishes if you’re incapacitated and can’t make your own decisions.
tennessee medical power of attorney

Free Tennessee Medical Power of Attorney Form

Create Your Tennessee Medical Power of Attorney in Minutes!

Legal Documents

  • All Legal Forms
  • Business Forms
  • Real Estate Forms
  • Personal and Family Forms

Popular Forms

  • Lease Agreements
  • Power of Attorney Forms
  • Eviction Notice
  • Living Will
  • Non-Disclosure Agreement

Resources

  • Legal Resources
  • Business
  • Real Estate
  • Personal & Family
  • Estate Planning
  • Financial
  • Covid-19 Resources

Company

  • Pricing
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Partner With Us
  • Legal Dictionary

Users

  • Account
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
McAfee - Together is power.
Trustpilot
BBB Accredited Business

(855) 335-9779, Monday-Friday, 9AM - 7PM EDT

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Copyright 2022 Legal Templates LLC. Legal Templates LLC is not a lawyer, or a law firm and does not engage in the practice of law. Legal Templates cannot and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. All information, software and services provided on the site are for informational purposes and self-help only and are not intended to be a substitute for a lawyer or professional legal advice. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use.

Thank you for downloading one of our free legal templates!

Would you leave us a review?

We hope you've found what you need and are able to avoid the time, costs, and stress associated with dealing with a lawyer.

A review would mean the world to us (it only takes about 15 seconds).

Please check your download folder for MS Word or open tabs for PDF so you can access your FREE Legal Template Sample

Thanks again, and good luck!

Leave My Review