POLST Flashcards
What does the acronym POLST stand for?
Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment
What is POLST?
A printed form that makes a person’s wishes for end-of-life care known to physicians, nurses, emergency medical personnel and other healthcare staff.
Is the POLST the same as a Advance Directive?
NO they are two different things
What is an advanced directive?
An AD is a document that states what a persons’ wishes would be at the end of their life. It generally contains information about a person’s desire to be mechanically ventilated, artificially fed, and his/her desire for comfort care. However, an Advance Directive does little to protect a person from unwanted emergency medical care like CPR or transfer to a hospital.
A person would need to have a separate Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR) to protect him from unwanted chest compressions, electrical shocks, and artificial breathing.
Who should have a POLST form?
The POLST form is important for people with serious health conditions.
Why should someone complete a POLST form?
The POLST form can help a person make sure their wishes for care are known and respected. It provides a physician’s order which is required for emergency medical personnel (EMS) and other healthcare workers to follow your plan.
Do you need an advance directive If you have a POLST form?
Yes, it is recommended that you also have an advance directive. The POLST form reinforces the wishes you express in your advance directive and presents them in an easy to understand way
What type of information is on the POLST form?
The form includes information about an individual’s wishes regarding comfort measures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), tube feedings and antibiotics in the last stages of an illness.
Who must sign the POLST form?
A physician, nurse practitioner of certified physician assistant (PA-C) must sign the bright pink form for it to be a physician order that is understood and followed by other healthcare professionals
What color is the POLST?
Bright Pink
Could you make changes to the POLST form after it is complete?
Yes- the POLST orders can be changed by you and your physician at any time
Could a patient who can no longer communicate his/her wishes for care have a POLST form prepared?
Yes- the patient’s designated healthcare representative can speak on the patients behalf, working with a physician to complete the POLST form.
How is the POLST form used?
The POLST form should be kept near the patient at all times, usually on the refrigerator or by the bed if pt. is at home, or in pts. medical chart if in a care facility. It remains with the pt if he/she is transported between care settings to assure the pt receive the desired treatments.
