§ 40:1300.52 — Legislative findings

Louisiana § 40:1300.52

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 40: Public Health and Safety

Text

§1300.52. Legislative findings
The legislature hereby finds and affirms all of the following:
(1) Leaving the safety and comfort of one's home to enter an inpatient healthcare
facility is a very scary experience for an individual regardless of the reason for entering the
facility or the expected length of stay in the facility.
(2) An inpatient healthcare facility can be a very intimidating place with new sights,
sounds, and smells; long periods of isolation; and a myriad of strangers coming quickly in
and out of your room at all hours of the day and night.
(3) Many individuals find the process of entering an inpatient healthcare facility
overwhelming, particularly children, the elderly, individuals who entered the facility under
emergency situations, and those with behavioral health challenges, intellectual disabilities,
or profound health complications.
(4) In many instances, the patient or resident of the inpatient healthcare facility is so
afraid that they are not able to adequately process the information that they are being given
such as a particular diagnosis, medication management, safety procedures, recovery
instructions, or food or liquid limitations.
(5) Being a patient or resident in an inpatient healthcare facility also yields itself to
very long, boring days of isolation which can cause depression, anxiety, diminished will to
improve or even to live, and for individuals with limited functionality, they often go for
hours without moving, speaking, or even opening their eyes.
(6) Having a reliable person visit, be it a family member or friend, serves as a source
of strength and companionship to a patient or resident in an inpatient healthcare facility,
often expressed through reassuring words or a compassionate hug or holding of one's hand,
and also allows for a fresh and focused set of eyes and ears to be aware of the totality of the
circumstances of the situation.

Legislative History

Acts 2023, No. 367, §1.