death

[JBirdAngel]

Hello,

i am also wondering how much post-mortem care is a part of the work, not sure i would deal well with that

thanks - jason

[jb2u, ASN, RN]

Why would the nurses remove the IVs and NG tubes etc? Those are supposed to be left in place for the coroner/ME.

Just because someone dies does not make it a ME case. We prepare the body for either a)the funeral home to come pick up the body, b)the morgue, or c) for the family to view their loved one without fluid leaking out of the body. The body relaxes after death and feces comes out as well as urine.

[KellNY, RN]

The body relaxes after death and feces comes out as well as urine.

I'm well aware of that...I'm sure I never mentioned not cleaning the patient.

I guess we just do things differently here. Here we leave everything in, whether or not they're getting an autopsy. I was taught to do that, because you never know--once family is informed, they may request an autopsy and it's better (for liability's sake) to have all tubes in place as they were when the Pt died.

[nurse4theplanet, RN]

In our facility, the CNAs/techs assist the nurse with post mortem care.

The patient's clothing must be removed. The body must be cleaned and placed in a natural, anotomically correct position. We try to close the eyes and mouth, put dentures in if they are available. If there is family, they are called, the deceased is then dressed in a clean gown and sheets, and the family is allowed to visit. Then after they leave, the gown is again removed, the body is labeled with identification (toe tag), the body placed in a body bag (this definitely takes two or more people), and taken by the funeral home attendent or to the morgue.

We remove all the lines unless the MD orders an autopsy.

[DST2RN]

Our Lvn's or RN's put them in the bag then security transports them to the morgue and and also releases to morturary transport as far as all this cleaning stuff. Depends if the deputies or coroner is coming, if they are the deceased will have tubes,lines and look like something out of a horror movie. Cause I guess coroner wants to investigate as is??