POLST, MOLST, and DNR: understanding medical orders forms

A POLST, MOLST, or DNR is a standing medical order, signed by a doctor, that says what treatment you do and do not want in an emergency. Unlike paperwork you fill out on your own, these are orders — emergency and care teams must follow them. The name and the form differ depending on where you live, but the purpose is the same.

Why it matters

A living will describes your wishes, and someone has to find it, read it, and interpret it. A medical order form skips that step. Paramedics, nurses, and hospital staff can act on it right away, in the first few minutes, when there may be no time to reach your family or dig through a folder.

These forms matter most for people managing a serious illness, people who are frail or nearing the end of life, and anyone with firm wishes about the care they want. If that isn't you yet, a living will and a healthcare power of attorney are usually the right place to start. You can skip this one with a clear conscience and come back to it if your health changes.

How to get one

This one starts with a conversation, not a download. A clinician has to sign it, so you can't complete it on your own.

• Ask your doctor, or the hospital, clinic, or hospice team caring for you. They handle these often and can walk you through the choices.
• Use your state's official form. Ask your care team which version your state uses and where to get the current one — the names and layouts differ, and rules vary by state.
• Go through it line by line: CPR, help with breathing, feeding tubes, and whether you'd want to be taken to the hospital at all.
• Sign it together and ask for copies. Keep the original somewhere responders will spot it, and ask your doctor where people in your area usually keep it.
• Give a copy to the person named in your healthcare power of attorney, and to anyone who might call 911 for you.
• If you work with an estate attorney, mention it so this lines up with your other health care documents.

Good to know

A DNR is narrower than a POLST or MOLST. A DNR answers one question: whether to attempt CPR if your heart stops or you stop breathing. A POLST or MOLST covers more ground, including breathing support, feeding, and hospital transfer. Neither one replaces a living will or a healthcare power of attorney — they work alongside them. And nothing here is permanent. You can change or cancel these orders at any time, and it's worth reviewing them after any real change in your health.

Keep it safe

Once it's signed, store a copy in your Hoovalu vault and choose who in your Circle can open it. Then the people who might be standing beside you in an emergency can pull it up on a phone.

This article is general education, not legal advice.