Question

You are caring for a man with terminal cancer when his caretaker presents you with a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form. The purpose of this form is to:

A) advise medical providers that resuscitation is not to be attempted.
B) describe acceptable patient interventions in the form of medical orders.
C) enable the caretaker to make healthcare decisions on the patient's behalf.
D) limit the treatment provided to the patient to basic life support care.

Answer 1

The purpose of the Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form is to describe acceptable patient interventions in the form of medical orders. It is a written legal document that details specific interventions a person wants.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of the Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form is to describe acceptable patient interventions in the form of medical orders (B). It is a written legal document that details specific interventions a person wants, especially towards the end of their life. The form helps ensure that the person's wishes are known and followed by medical providers and caretakers.