Working With POLST – For Professionals
POLST stands for Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. It is a physician order that gives patients more control over their care by specifying the types of medical treatment they want to receive during advanced serious illness. Developed in conjunction with the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, this course is designed to help the healthcare professional understand the role and value of this document, and how to employ it in documenting and honoring patient wishes. This course provides specific details regarding POLST in California.
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Benefits of Using the new POLST Form:
- It is a physician order that is recognized throughout the medical system
- It is a portable document that transfers with the patient from one care setting to another
- It is easily distinguished by its bright pink color
- It is a standardized form for the whole state
- Though anyone can have a POLST form, it is designed for those who are seriously ill or very frail – at any age.
- It is a physician order that documents wishes for treatment at this point in time; provides guidance to emergency medical personnel; usually completed in a medical setting.
- There is one standard form for California.
This Course will Help Answer Questions Such as:
- Who would benefit from having a POLST form?
- Where does POLST fit in in the Advance Care Planning Continuum?
- What’s the difference between POLST and Advance Healthcare Directives?
- What’s the difference between POLST and DNR (Do Not Resuscitate)?
- What’s the difference between POLST and PIC (Preferred Intensity of Care)?
- What does the POLST form say about artificially administered nutrition?
- Who can help complete POLST?
- When should POLST be reviewed?
- Can the POLST form be changed?
- Where should we keep POLST?
- Who needs to sign the POLST form to make it valid?
Why POLST is so Important
Studies have shown that patient wishes about care are often not known. Even when a patient has an Advance Healthcare Directive, it may not be accessible when needed. When a patient’s wishes are not known during stressful situations, confusion may arise. The POLST form may help to reduce some of that confusion when:
- The Advance Healthcare Directive (AHCD) may not be accessible
- Wishes may not be clearly defined in AHCD
- The AHCD is not a physician order
During this self-paced course you will learn that this extremely important form allows healthcare providers to know and honor the wishes of the patient during serious illness.
The Coalition for Compassionate Care of California has developed this course in partnership with The California State University Institute for Palliative Care.
Course Information
DATE: Register Any Time
LOCATION: Online
COST: $25 course only. $50 with CE Hours
CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS: 2 Hours
MORE INFO:
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POLST is an acronym that stands for Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. It is a doctor’s order that gives patients more control over their end-of-life care by specifying the types of medical treatment they want to receive.
POLST:
- Encourages communication between healthcare providers and patients
- Enables patients to make more informed decisions
- Clearly communicates these decisions to healthcare providers
As a result, POLST can:
- Prevent unwanted or medically ineffective treatment
- Reduce patient and family suffering
- Help ensure that patient wishes are honored
Use of the form began in California in 2008, and became part of state law on January 1, 2009.
So, What Is POLST?
- A doctor’s order that is recognized throughout the medical system
- A portable document that transfers with the patient from one care setting to another
- Easily distinguished by its bright pink color
- A standardized form for the whole state
POLST provides direction for a range of medical treatments so that healthcare professionals can provide the treatments patients do want, and avoid those that they do not want.
Some of the key points to be aware of:
- There is one form for the entire state
- This is an important requirement for POLST to work
- It is not mandatory for anyone to use the form, but honoring the form is mandatory!
- Healthcare providers must recognize the POLST form and honor the patient’s wishes
- Must follow POLST wishes except if contrary to generally accepted healthcare standards or medically ineffective treatment
- This means that if someone is critically ill and treatments requested on the POLST either will not help the person or can cause more harm or suffering, the doctor will discuss the appropriate plan of care with the patient and/or family
When traveling in California, “Would any hospital honor my POLST?” The answer is “Yes.”
If traveling outside of California, the POLST may be recognized if the particular state is using POLST. In every state, the POLST will be valuable as a statement of preferences describing someone’s wishes for medical care.
So Why Do We Need POLST in California?
Studies have shown that patient wishes about care are often not known.
- Even when a patient has an Advance Healthcare Directive, it may not be accessible when needed.
- Also, Advance Directives are not always clearly defined.
The POLST form is clear about wishes and easy to access and read. Plus, it is doctor’s order that healthcare professionals can follow.
The POLST form allows healthcare professionals to know your wishes for care during serious illness, and to honor them.
If you become very sick quickly, you may not be able to talk with your family or your doctor.
POLST facilitates discussion of possible medical situations, so that if something happened, your doctor and your family know your thoughts on what type of medical care you would want to receive.
It’s so important to have these discussions before something happens. People often think, “I’ll discuss this when I’m sick.” Unfortunately, that is too late. You can’t wait until dementia progresses, or you are too sick to make decisions.
Who Would Benefit From Having a POLST Form?
Anyone can have a POLST. However, POLST is designed for people who:
- Have a chronic, progressive illness that cannot be cured
- Have a serious health condition, or
- Are medically frail
There are no age specifications. POLST can be used with both adults and children.
Course Information
DATE: Register Any Time
LOCATION: Online
COST: $25 course only. $50 with CE Hours
CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS: 2 Hours
MORE INFO:
Contact Us About This Course