Course Description:

Advance directives are written statements of a person's wishes regarding medical treatment, made to ensure those wishes are carried out should the person be unable to communicate them to a healthcare provider. These often include, but are not limited to, a living will. Advance directives can take many forms, and the laws governing them are different in each state. Healthy people, not just individuals dealing with health challenges, need to have an advance directive, and healthcare staff need to understand the process and encourage completion. This course will discuss the importance of advance directives, how to develop them, and the best ways to encourage clients and patients to consider developing and updating these living documents.