EMS responders should verify the patient identity and the POLST form in which way?

• A. The EMS crew should verify only the patient identity.
• B. The EMS team should verify the form’s validity and identify the patient.
• C. The form must be photographed for records.
• D. EMS should ignore the POLST form in the field.

Answer: (C)

The key practice is to preserve and communicate the patient’s POLST information in a way that is reliable and accessible to hospital staff. Photographing the POLST form creates a durable, legible record that travels with the patient and can be quickly shared with the receiving facility. This ensures the exact orders—such as resuscitation status or limits on life-sustaining treatments—are preserved even if the original form is not readily available at the scene or gets damaged. A photo provides a time-stamped, verifiable snapshot that supports appropriate treatment decisions in a dynamic field setting and helps align prehospital care with the patient’s documented wishes.

While verifying the patient’s identity remains important, simply checking the form’s presence or validity without capturing a reliable record could lead to miscommunication or loss of critical details. Ignoring the POLST form in the field or focusing only on identity would fail to honor the documented preferences. Photographing the form addresses both accuracy and accessibility for the next phase of care.