For clinicians, social workers, case managers, discharge planners, and chaplains.
Each state uses its own name for the medical order. North Carolina uses MOST. Other states use POLST, MOLST, POST, or another name. The out-of-hospital DNR is listed separately when the state has one.
A clinician must complete and sign these
These are medical orders. A clinician must complete and sign them. They are not forms a person fills out alone.
AlabamaAL
Medical order
POLST (National POLST form referenced by ADPH palliative care program)
Who signs: Physician, NP or PA (National POLST form)
How to get it: From your clinician (doctor, NP or PA) or a health facility, after a conversation with them
Alabama has no state-specific POLST statute or form. ADPH's palliative care page links the National POLST form.
Out-of-hospital DNR
Alabama Portable Physician Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) Order
Who signs: Physician
How to get it: From the patient's physician or care facility; form is set by ADPH rule 420-5-19
Act 2016-96. A state advisory council recommends pink paper; copies are valid. A separate Order for Pediatric Palliative and End of Life Care (PPEL) is also listed by ADPH OEMS.
How to get it: From your clinician (doctor, NP or PA) or a health facility, after a conversation with them
Promoted by the Florida Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (polst.org listing). Not a state statutory form; DH 1896 is the document EMS is required to honor.
Out-of-hospital DNR
Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNRO), DH Form 1896
Who signs: Patient or representative, and physician, DO, autonomous APRN or PA
How to get it: The public can download it from FDOH; a clinician must sign
Bracelet or ID: Wallet-size patient identification device can be cut from the form
Must be printed on yellow paper (any shade) or with a full-page yellow background, or EMS need not honor it. No notary or witness needed. Copies on yellow can be put on the refrigerator.
Idaho POST (Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment)
Who signs: Patient and health care provider (physician, APRN or PA)
How to get it: From your clinician (doctor, NP or PA) or a health facility, after a conversation with them; IDHW provides it on request and through the Idaho Healthcare Directive Registry
Replaced Comfort One (Comfort One forms from before July 2007 are still valid).
IDPH Uniform POLST (Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)
Who signs: Attending practitioner (physician, APRN, PA or qualified resident), plus individual or legal representative
How to get it: IDPH posts the form publicly; a practitioner must complete and sign it
It also serves as the out-of-hospital DNR. Older IDPH Uniform DNR and DNR/POLST forms stay valid. IDPH says to keep it somewhere EMS will see it quickly, such as on the refrigerator.
Out-of-hospital DNR
The medical order above is also the out-of-hospital resuscitation order.
How to get it: From your clinician (doctor, NP or PA) or a health facility, after a conversation with them; providers sign a printing release to print it
Maine EMS treats a POLST with 'No CPR' as a DNR.
Out-of-hospital DNR
Maine EMS Comfort Care/Do-Not-Resuscitate Order
Who signs: Attending physician and authorized decision-maker
How to get it: Maine EMS form, completed by the attending physician
Maryland MOLST (Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)
Who signs: Physician, NP or PA
How to get it: From your clinician (doctor, NP or PA) or a health facility, after a conversation with them; MIEMSS mails hard copies to people without internet (410-706-4367)
Bracelet or ID: Plastic bracelet holding the MOLST/EMS-DNR order insert (from MIEMSS); MedicAlert DNR bracelet or necklace also accepted
Doubles as the EMS DNR order. A copy must be given to the patient.
Out-of-hospital DNR
The medical order above is also the out-of-hospital resuscitation order.
Who signs: Physician (MD/DO), PA or NP must sign; patient or representative signature also required (on the form or on file)
How to get it: Only from a physician's office or licensed hospital/health care facility. OEMS says the forms are for those authorized users and unauthorized downloading is prohibited, so a person gets one from their clinician
Must be printed on Astrobrights 'Pulsar Pink' paper. The original form is required and goes with the patient on any transfer or discharge. Authorized by G.S. 90-21.17.
Out-of-hospital DNR
Portable Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order (the 'yellow DNR form')
Who signs: Attending physician, PA or NP (signature line on the 11/2024 form; G.S. 90-21.17 says a physician may issue it)
How to get it: Same as MOST: only physicians' offices and licensed facilities may print it, so a person gets it from their clinician
OEMS requires 'Goldenrod' paper, a deep yellow, which is why it is known as the yellow form. Marked 'Do Not Copy / Do Not Alter'. G.S. 90-21.17 protects providers who rely on an original DNR or MOST form, so keep the original with the patient.
NC uses two separate state forms: MOST (pink) and the portable DNR (goldenrod/yellow). Both are adopted by NC OEMS.
Ohio has no statewide POLST. polst.org lists a regional MOLST (LeadingAge Ohio).
Out-of-hospital DNR
State of Ohio Do Not Resuscitate Order: DNR Comfort Care (DNRCC) / DNR Comfort Care-Arrest (DNRCC-Arrest)
Who signs: Physician, APRN or PA
How to get it: From your clinician (doctor, NP or PA) or a health facility, after a conversation with them
Bracelet or ID: Authorized DNR identification: the order form, a necklace, a bracelet, a wallet card or a hospital-type bracelet, all with the DNR Comfort Care logo and the patient's name
One-page form revised January 2025; older forms stay valid. A copy of the order or ID must go with the patient on transfer.
Oklahoma POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)
Who signs: Physician, plus patient or representative
How to get it: From your clinician (doctor, NP or PA) or a health facility, after a conversation with them
The form is published by the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision. Photocopies and faxes are valid.
Out-of-hospital DNR
Oklahoma Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Consent Form (63 O.S. 3131.5)
Who signs: Patient or representative, with witnesses; attending physician certification in some cases
How to get it: Statutory form; completed with your clinician
Bracelet or ID: Oklahoma DNR Act provides for DNR identification (confirm with provider)
No oklahoma.gov information page covering POLST or DNR was found (the OSDH advance directive page lists only registries), so the polst.org state page is used.
Oregon POLST (Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, 2023 form)
Who signs: Physician, NP or PA, plus patient or representative
How to get it: Only from a health care professional. Official forms are ordered by health care organizations; the public can download only an education sample
Copies and ePOLST are valid. Forms are submitted to the Oregon POLST Registry, which EMS can reach 24/7.
Texas has no statutory POLST; Texas Talks (polst.org listing) promotes one.
Out-of-hospital DNR
Texas Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate (OOH-DNR) Order
Who signs: Patient or representative, attending physician, and two witnesses (or notary)
How to get it: Standard state form from DSHS, completed with your physician
Bracelet or ID: Optional, at your own cost after the order is signed: plastic bracelet ('Texas' + 'Do Not Resuscitate' or Texas shape with STOP), or metal bracelet/necklace inscribed 'Texas Do Not Resuscitate - OOH'
Wisconsin has no statutory statewide POLST; polst.org lists a Wisconsin POST program with no website.
Out-of-hospital DNR
Emergency Care Do Not Resuscitate Order, F-44763, with DNR bracelet
Who signs: Attending health care provider (physician, APRN or PA), plus patient or representative
How to get it: From the attending health care provider
Bracelet or ID: Required for EMS: a free plastic bracelet from the provider, or a metal bracelet from StickyJ Medical ID (old MedicAlert bracelets still recognized)