Chapter 3 – Health Care Operations

3.3.6.5 Medical/Dental Lay‑Ins

• Policy

  • Patients within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation who require medically indicated bed rest shall be provided with medical/dental lay-ins by institution licensed health care staff.

• Purpose

  • To establish standards and guidelines for the use of medical/dental lay-ins.

• Procedure

  • Medical/dental lay-ins shall be issued only by physicians, mid-level providers, Mental Health primary clinicians and psychiatrists, dentists, registered nurses, or licensed vocational nurses.  Medical/dental lay-ins shall be issued only to patients needing medically indicated bed rest or who temporarily cannot perform their assigned duties, but who do not require inpatient infirmary or hospital care.

  • Institution licensed health care staff who are authorized to do so shall use the Lay-In PowerForm in the Electronic Health Record System for all medical/dental lay-ins.

  • Medical/dental lay-ins shall be issued for specific time periods.  Dental lay-ins requiring confinement to quarters for longer than a 24-hour period shall be ordered only by a physician or a dentist, and the order must include a termination date.

  • Upon expiration of the lay-in, the patient shall:

    • Return to normal activities or,

    • Be re-evaluated by the physician or dentist for possible reissue of a lay-in or,

    • Be re-evaluated by the physician or dentist for possible transfer to a facility with an infirmary or hospital.

  • Patients on medical/dental lay-ins must be confined to their cells or dormitory beds, except to eat, obtain medication, shower, or to access the facility law library.

  • Health care staff may re-evaluate the lay-in status of any patient at any time depending on the patient’s behavior and/or activity.

  • Dental staff shall print the Lay-In PowerForm and distribute copies as follows:

    • Copy to Central File.

    • Copy to patient’s supervisor.

    • Copy to housing officer.

    • Copy to patient.

• Revision History

• Effective: 04/2006
  Revised: 11/2017, 11/2020, 02/2022