Louisiana § RS 40:1151.1 - Definitions

§ RS 40:1151.1. Definitions

            As used in this Subpart, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed to them unless the context clearly states otherwise:

            (1) "Attending physician" means the physician who has primary responsibility for the treatment and care of the patient.

            (2) "Cardiopulmonary resuscitation" means those measures used to restore or support cardiac or respiratory function in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest.

            (3) "Declarant" means a person who has executed a declaration as defined herein.

            (4) "Declaration" means a witnessed document, statement, or expression voluntarily made by the declarant, authorizing the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures, in accordance with the requirements of this Subpart. A declaration may be made in writing, orally, or by other means of nonverbal communication.

            (5) "Do-not-resuscitate identification bracelet" means a standardized bracelet as described in R.S. 40:1151.2(D)(1)(b).

            (6) "Health care provider" means any health maintenance organization, home health agency, hospice, hospital, nursing facility, or any entity listed in R.S. 40:1231.1(A)(10).

            (7) "Licensed emergency medical services practitioner" means a licensed emergency medical services practitioner as defined in R.S. 40:1131.

            (8) "Life-sustaining procedure" means any medical procedure or intervention which, within reasonable medical judgment, would serve only to prolong the dying process for a person diagnosed as having a terminal and irreversible condition, including such procedures as the invasive administration of nutrition and hydration and the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A "life-sustaining procedure" shall not include any measure deemed necessary to provide comfort care.

            (9) "Minor" means a person under eighteen years of age.

            (10) "Physician" means a physician or surgeon licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners or by the official licensing authority of another state.

            (11) "Qualified patient" means a patient diagnosed and certified in writing as having a terminal and irreversible condition by two physicians who have personally examined the patient, one of whom shall be the attending physician.

            (12) "Registry" means a registry for declarations established and maintained by the secretary of state pursuant to this Subpart.

            (13) "Spouse" means a person who is legally married to the qualified patient but does not include a spouse who is judicially separated from the patient, is cohabited with another person in the manner of married persons, or who has been convicted of any crime of violence as defined in R.S. 14:2(B) against the other spouse, that has resulted in the terminal and irreversible condition as defined in Paragraph (15) of this Section, or who has violated any domestic abuse protective order affecting the other spouse.

            (14) "Terminal and irreversible condition" means a continual profound comatose state with no reasonable chance of recovery or a condition caused by injury, disease, or illness which, within reasonable medical judgment, would produce death and for which the application of life-sustaining procedures would serve only to postpone the moment of death.

            (15) "Witness" means a competent adult who is not related to the declarant or qualified patient, whichever is applicable, by blood or marriage and who would not be entitled to any portion of the estate of the person from whom life-sustaining procedures are to be withheld or withdrawn upon his decease.

            Acts 1984, No. 382, §1; Acts 1985, No. 187, §1, eff. July 6, 1985; Acts 1990, No. 522, §1; Acts 1990, No. 749, §1; Acts 1991, No. 194, §1; Acts 1991, No. 320, §1; Acts 1991, No. 321, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1999, No. 641, §1, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 2005, No. 447, §1; Acts 2012, No. 789, §§2, 3, eff. June 13, 2012; Redesignated from R.S. 40:1299.58.2 by HCR 84 of 2015 R.S.; Acts 2025, No. 342, §1.