Death Visit Protocols

[Zee_RN, BSN, RN]

Hospice staff -- what are your protocols for death visits when a patient dies? Obviously, if it is a home patient an RN needs to visit and pronounce.

But what if it's 2AM and they are in a skilled facility and the facility staff pronounces? Do you visit regardless? No family present, pt is whisked off to funeral home.... Do you have a policy on making death visits based on circumstances?

Thanks!

[SWBQACRN]

Our nurses always make a visit, even to those nursing home patients with no family.

[Chedmonds]

We always attend the death regardless. In the facilities we work with most often, the facility nurses don't call the funeral home, they wait until we get there and let us handle that as well.

[TammyG]

We always attend the death UNLESS it is during on-call hours and the facility pronounces the death and does not want us to come. If there is no family there, which is unfortunately often the case, the nursing home just wants to get the remains picked up as soon as possible. There is really no role for us in those situations. The equipment, etc. can be ordered for pick-up on-line.

I would say this happens about 1/2 the time when you have a facility death during on-call hours.

Certainly if family is present, then the presence of a hospice nurse is warranted at any time of the day or night.