plural POLSTs
: a medical form that outlines the wishes of a person with a usually serious, progressive health condition regarding life-sustaining measures and end-of-life care (such as life support, palliative care, or CPR), and that must be signed by an authorized health care professional (such as a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) : molst
Consider asking your parents' doctor for a POLST form—Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment—that will tell emergency medical workers, hospital staff and others about the level of medical intervention your parent wants in a medical emergency when they can't speak for themselves.—
Lindy Washburn and Scott Fallon
Lindy Washburn and Scott FallonUnlike most other medical orders, POLST also travels with a patient across medical settings from one place to another, so it is good at a nursing home and a hospital. … POLST forms would have information about CPR, sections for individual and health-care practitioner's signatures, and procedures for verbal consent.—The Record Herald (Waynesboro, Pennsylvania)
The Record Herald (Waynesboro, Pennsylvania)POLSTs can be filled out for anyone, but are particularly recommended for people with serious acute or chronic illnesses and those with terminal or progressive diseases who are at high risk for sudden medical events …—Dustin Ballard
compare advance directive, dnr entry 1
Dustin BallardExamples of POLST in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There will be a no-host brunch and presentation on setting up a Vial of Life, POLST & Parkinson’s Medical Safety Program Forms.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
The parent might sign a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) that can instruct medical providers directly regarding their wishes.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024
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Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
The parent might sign a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) that can instruct medical providers directly regarding their wishes.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“POLST.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/POLST. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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POLST
abbreviation or noun
: a medical form that outlines the wishes of a person with a usually serious, progressive health condition regarding life-sustaining measures and end-of-life care (such as life support, palliative care, or CPR), and that must be signed by an authorized health-care professional (such as a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) : molst
… a preprinted physician order form called Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST). When a patient is too sick to make decisions, the POLST specifies what a physician is to do in four categories of medical treatment: (1) CPR; (2) the level of medical intervention (ranging from comfort care at home to intensive hospital treatments); (3) antibiotic use; (4) feeding tubes and IV fluids (long term or short term). Patients keep the original POLST with them in the event of an emergency.—Melinda A. Lee et al., Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
compare advance directive, dnr entry 2
Melinda A. Lee et al., Journal of the American Geriatrics SocietyLove words? Need even more definitions?
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