A Beginner's Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death

by B.J. Miller

MEDICAL FORMS TO COMPLEMENT AN ADVANCE DIRECTIVE For those already living with a serious medical condition or advanced age, a POLST form should be completed, and a DNR form should be discussed and completed if appropriate. Unlike an advance directive, these forms need to be signed by a doctor to be valid. The fact that they are signed by a doctor is what makes them more rigorous and likely to be honored by health care institutions. Physician’s Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST)I The POLST is a one-page, double-sided form that asks you to mark your preferences for the most common medical interventions: CPR, intubation, etc. It is a document that should be completed when you are seriously ill or approaching the end of your life. Completing one requires a conversation with, and signature of, a physician. The power of the POLST is that it’s a medical order and protects both patient and provider. You do not need to have an