Table 3.
Resident-level Choices on Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatments (POLSTs; n = 941) Reviewed in 2012 Sample of Southern California Nursing Homes
| Treatment category | Orders on POLST, n (%) |
|---|---|
| POLST signed by | |
| Resident | 269 (28.6) |
| Resident proxy | 588 (62.5) |
| Not signed | 84 (8.9) |
| Resuscitation | |
| Attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation | 470 (49.9) |
| Do not attempt resuscitation | 441 (46.8) |
| No preference documented | 30 (3.2) |
| Medical intervention | |
| Full treatment | 463 (49.2) |
| Limited interventions | 290 (30.8) |
| Comfort care only | 155 (16.5) |
| No preference documented | 33 (3.5) |
| Artificially administered nutrition | |
| Long term artificially administered nutrition | 364 (38.6) |
| Limited trial | 135 (14.3) |
| No artificially administered nutrition | 358 (38.0) |
| No preference documented | 84 (8.9) |