What does Section D of the POLST Form address?

What does Section D of the POLST Form address?

• A. Do-not-resuscitate orders
• B. Orders for Medically Administered Nutrition
• C. Do-not-ventilate orders
• D. Orders for antibiotic administration

Answer: (B)

Section D focuses on artificial or medically administered nutrition. This part of a POLST form records whether and how nutrition should be provided when a patient cannot reach their desired decisions themselves. Medically administered nutrition refers to feeding given through tubes or other non-oral means, such as tube feeding or IV nutrition, and the orders specify if that feeding should be provided, limited, or withheld in line with the patient’s goals and prognosis. This fits alongside other sections that cover different life-sustaining treatments, such as whether to perform CPR or use a ventilator and whether antibiotics should be given. Those decisions are documented in other parts of the form, while Section D specifically isolates nutrition decisions. So, the purpose of this section is to capture the patient’s wishes regarding artificial nutrition, ensuring those preferences are honored across care settings.

Section D focuses on artificial or medically administered nutrition. This part of a POLST form records whether and how nutrition should be provided when a patient cannot reach their desired decisions themselves. Medically administered nutrition refers to feeding given through tubes or other non-oral means, such as tube feeding or IV nutrition, and the orders specify if that feeding should be provided, limited, or withheld in line with the patient’s goals and prognosis.

This fits alongside other sections that cover different life-sustaining treatments, such as whether to perform CPR or use a ventilator and whether antibiotics should be given. Those decisions are documented in other parts of the form, while Section D specifically isolates nutrition decisions.

So, the purpose of this section is to capture the patient’s wishes regarding artificial nutrition, ensuring those preferences are honored across care settings.