Coronavirus In Minnesota: The Push To Complete Healthcare Directives Amid Pandemic
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's a tough subject to even think about, but health experts are reminding people that this pandemic is the time to be sure your paperwork is in order so your final wishes are followed.
WCCO talked to Paula Johns, a Twin Cities registered nurse and death investigator who teaches a class called the "Final Checklist."
Johns has noticed more interest in completing advanced directives also known as living wills or healthcare directives. She says directives should include naming someone who knows your medical history and will advocate for you.
In Minnesota, they can be written anywhere, as long as they are signed by two people and by yourself. A notary isn't necessary.
Johns points to statistics that show just 10% of people have them, and it takes just two hours to complete.
"I think it's a very important subject and something I feel very strongly about, especially with the years of experience that I've heard working in the ER and the ICU, and currently with my work as a death investigator," Johns said. "It's just so sad when people are looking and go, 'I don't know what to do.'"
Mayo Clinic has a workbook available for anyone to complete whether you're a patient or not. Here are two other sources: