Which term describes instructions written by the physician for admitting a patient to the hospital?

• A. Admission orders
• B. ROS
• C. History and Physical
• D. Procedures

Answer: (A)

The concept here is naming the instructions a physician writes to guide a patient’s initial inpatient care. These are admission orders, which lay out the plan for what to do once the patient is admitted—where they’ll be admitted, diet, activity, fluids, medications to start or continue, labs and imaging to obtain, and any consults needed. They start the patient’s hospital course and direct the team. In contrast, the ROS (review of systems) is part of the History and Physical documenting symptoms the patient reports; the History and Physical itself is the initial assessment and documentation; and procedures refer to actions performed or planned. So, the best term for admitting instructions is admission orders.