April 2018 – A patient’s past experience with CPR or intensive care is important.

Before trying to complete a POLST, learn about your patient’s experience. Personal experience is more important to many patients than statistics. To find out what they’re thinking, try asking these questions:

1. Have you ever been resuscitated or intubated?
2. Do you know anyone who has been resuscitated?
3. Have you known anyone who has died in intensive care? Or at home? How did it affect you?

For more information contact Dr. Leslie Estep or Dr. Anita Meyer at Hospice of the Northwest,
360-814-5550, or lestep@hospicenw.org or ameyer@hospicenw.org