Legal Considerations in End-of-Life Decisionmaking in Louisiana

End-of-life directives are among the most difficult decisions that a patient or a patient's family makes because of the many moral, ethical, legal, and practical considerations. This article addresses the basic legal framework in Louisiana for end-of-life directives. Although Louisiana law provides a framework for addressing end-of-life issues, the law does not dictate outcomes or decisions. The law is often the refuge of last resort, providing unsatisfactory results. End-of-life care decisions are generally most productive when they are based on discussions between patients, their families, and their care team regarding the patient's wishes.