Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) is a medical order that outlines a plan of care reflecting a patient’s wishes concerning treatment in a medical crisis or at the end of life. The POLST form is voluntary and is intended to:

  • Help you and your patient discuss, develop, and document plans to reflect their wishes
  • Assist healthcare professionals and emergency personnel to know and honor a person’s wishes for life-sustaining treatment

Having a conversation with a seriously ill patient about goals of treatment in a medical crisis is an important and necessary part of good medical care. POLST can provide structure for those important discussions between you and your seriously ill patients. POLST is making a difference. Studies have shown that among patients with POLST forms treatment preferences were respected 98% of the time, and very few received unwanted CPR, intubations, intensive care or feeding tubes.

At the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (CCCC), we are here to help guide you through the use of POLST. We offer multiple trainings and resources, all designed to help you learn more about POLST, and to develop and enhance your skills for facilitating meaningful conversations with patients and families about goals of care and POLST.

POLST Education

Get training on the California POLST from the California POLST experts at CCCC.

POLST Champion Certificate Program

A comprehensive, yet affordable and accessible education program on all aspects of POLST utilization: includes a combination of online topics training covering key components of the POLST process, purpose, form, validity, content, signatures, and legal requirements; online setting-specific modules for each of the healthcare settings in which POLST is used; in-person skills building; and ongoing “Certificate Continuation” support and updates. Complete the full program to become a POLST Champion or sign up for one or more of the virtual trainings to improve your POLST skills. Learn more here.


POLST for Physician Assistants & Nurse Practitioners

In 2014, Assembly Bill 637 was enacted, allowing physician assistants and nurse practitioners acting under the supervision of a physician and within the scope of practice authorized by law to sign POLST forms.

  • Quick Reference Guide for Physicians, NPs, and PAs (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • FAQ for Medical Providers Who Can Sign POLST (updated 2024) [PDF]

POLST Guidelines & FAQs
  • Honoring Patients’ Wishes: A Healthcare Professional’s Guide to POLST [PDF]
  • New! Using POLST with the Pediatric Population [PDF]
  • FAQ for Medical Providers Who Can Sign POLST (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • Frequently Asked Clinical Questions for Providers (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • Frequently Asked Questions for Nonclinical Staff (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • New! FAQ for Assisted Living and RCFE Communities [PDF]
  • Quick Reference: Guide for Physicians, NPs, and PAs (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • Quick Reference: Relationship Between POLST Sections A & B (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • New! Quick Reference: POLST for Emergency Departments [PDF]
  • New! Quick Reference: POLST for Discharge Planners [PDF]
  • Quick Reference: POLST in Nursing Homes (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • Quick Reference: POLST in California RCFEs and Assisted Living Communities (updated 2024) [PDF]

POLST Consumer Information & Brochures
  • FAQ for Consumers (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • Patient Information Guide: Supplement to the POLST Brochure (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • New! Consumer Presentation Slide Set and Script (2024) [PDF]

The POLST Consumer Brochure is available in the CCCC Online Store:


Decision Aids & Conversation Tools for Providers

Patient-Centered Decision Aids for both adult and pediatric patients created by the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California explain the complex topics of life-sustaining treatments, using consumer-friendly language with evidence-based information. The Decision Aids were developed with the help and guidance of healthcare professionals, and reflect the latest research on these interventions. The adult Decision Aids have been certified against rigorous criteria by PALTmed (Post Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine Association).

The Decision Aids are recommended for use by healthcare professionals who treat seriously ill patients in hospitals, palliative care units, skilled nursing facilities, hospices, and medical groups. Available in both print and digital formats, they are intended to supplement conversations between patients and healthcare providers.

TOPICS INCLUDE: Artificial hydration, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Mechanical ventilation, and Tube feeding.

LANGUAGES: English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Punjabi.

Learn more about the Decision Guides and view samples »

Communication Tools & Resources

New! The POLST Conversation: POLST Script for Healthcare Providers [PDF]
A detailed script, with sample language, for introducing and explaining POLST to patients and loved ones.

New! POLST Conversation Points: Key Information [PDF]
A summary of key points and sample language for introducing and explaining POLST to patients and loved ones.

New! POLST Conversation Documentation for Healthcare Providers [PDF]
A template for how POLST conversations can be documented in the patient medical record.

New! Cultural and Spiritual Awareness in POLST Conversations [PDF]
Pointers and sample language for approaching patients with cultural humility and respect for spiritual commitments that may impact POLST decisions.

New! POLST Cue Card for Healthcare Providers (Long and Short Versions) [PDF]
Easy reference to main POLST conversation points for all healthcare providers.

Helpful Phrases for Having the POLST Conversation / Frases útiles para usar en las conversaciones sobre POLST PDF
This guide walks healthcare providers through the most commonly used phrases in assisting a patient and family through conversations about the POLST form. The guide includes phrases and questions in English and Spanish.

Using POLST with the Pediatric Population [PDF]
The Family Advisory Council of the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition, along with key pediatric palliative care providers and the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, developed recommendations for discussing Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) with families of seriously ill children.


POLST Videos

Introduction to POLST


POLST Model Policies & Procedures
  • Model Policy introductory notes and comments (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • POLST Model Policy for General Acute Care Hospitals (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • POLST Model Policy for Outpatient Palliative Care and Hospice Agencies (updated 2024) [PDF]
  • POLST Model Policy for Skilled Nursing Facilities [PDF]
  • New! POLST Form Cover Sheet for Skilled Nursing Facilities [PDF]
  • New! POLST Form Cover Sheet for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly/Assisted Living Facilities [PDF]

POLST QAPI Toolkit for SNFs

POLST QAPI Toolkit
Designed to provide skilled nursing facilities with useful, QAPI-based tools that can be used to improve POLST utilization in California’s nursing homes and ensure that residents’ end-of-life treatment wishes are understood, documented and followed.
Download the QAPI Toolkit [PDF]

What Is QAPI?
QAPI stands for Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement.

QAPI is a data-driven, proactive approach to improving the quality of life, care, and services in nursing homes. The activities of QAPI involve members at all levels of the organization to: identify opportunities for improvement; address gaps in systems or processes; develop and implement an improvement or corrective plan; and continuously monitor effectiveness of interventions.

Effective QAPI programs are critical to improving the quality of life, and quality of care and services delivered in nursing homes.

Legislation & Public Policy

POLST-Related Legislation

POLST SNF and RCFE Regulation (PDFs)


National Program, Research, & Tools