What do Physician's Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) include?

• A. Only the patient's wishes for resuscitation
• B. Instructions regarding all forms of life-sustaining treatment
• C. A list of medications prescribed to the patient
• D. Emergency contacts for the patient

Answer: (B)

Physician's Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) are comprehensive medical orders that reflect a patient’s preferences regarding medical treatment in emergency situations. They include directives about various forms of life-sustaining treatments, ensuring that the patient's wishes are honored in critical situations. This may include decisions related to resuscitation efforts, mechanical ventilation, feeding tubes, and other significant medical interventions.

The inclusion of instructions regarding all forms of life-sustaining treatment allows healthcare providers to act promptly and in accordance with the patient’s preferences when immediate decisions are required, such as during a medical emergency. This holistic approach is aimed at respecting the patient's autonomy and providing clarity for medical personnel about the treatments the patient wishes to receive or to forego.

In contrast, the other options provide a narrower perspective. For instance, limiting POLST to only resuscitation wishes simplifies the complexity of medical care choices that patients may wish to make. Similarly, while the patient's list of medications is important, that information doesn't encapsulate the broader treatment decisions that POLST is designed to cover. Emergency contacts, while useful, are not part of the medical orders typically included in a POLST form. Instead, POLST focuses on medical treatment preferences to guide care effectively in medical emergencies.