Sign on room when pt dies for no more svcs. in room/ courtesy sign - do you have one?

Sour Lemon · Sep 20, 2017

Hello everyone,
This is a request from one of the nursing administrators at the hospital where I work. I am the librarian here and am researching this for her. I really hope you all share your knowledge and information with her. I appreciate your time reading this.
She would like to know:
When a patient passes, a notification (sign) is put on the room to let other staff and other service providers know that services are no longer needed. This is courtesy signage. It also allows the family some time in the room. We would like to know what this signage looks like at other facilities. We did hear that one hospital used a picture of a tree.
What type of signage is your facility using in this type of situation? Does it have wording on it? Would you be willing to share a picture of your sign or at least a description?
Do you have a contact person we could talk to?
Thank-you in advance for you help,
Deweydecimal13501 (Halyna)
[email protected]

I've never heard of a sign being placed. Staff (nurse/CNA) still check on the patient and family after death ...and ideally, the patient isn't there for so long after death that it's an issue. Housekeeping doesn't show up until the room is "vacant" in the computer. Someone that close to death usually isn't getting meal trays, either. Their usually not getting PT, OT, etc. Now you've got me wondering, who would "disturb" them? I guess RT might show up, but they've usually had interaction with the family before that time and are welcomed.

oceangirl1234 · Sep 20, 2017

We just have a sign that says to visit the nursing desk before entering the room. This especially happens during night shifts when there are fewer porters and security to take the bodies to the morgue.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Sep 20, 2017

Same as above here. Just a generic sign instructing all visitors to stop by nurses station before entering. Any non-nursing personnel would also check with nurse/nurses station regarding what the sign is about prior to entering.

kalycat, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2017

We have a special sign with a dove on it that's kept with our other iso precaution signs. It's just our way of letting others know what is going on -- lab, other nurses, etc. With 72 beds, we can have a ton of staff around and things can get hectic.

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · Sep 20, 2017

When my niece was stillborn, they put a butterfly on my sisters door to alert people entering the room.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 20, 2017

On my last workplace, it was a picture of a flower. In the hospital I gave birth, it was a swimming blue/pink flower if the baby was in NICU, a white flower if the baby was about to go for high risk procedure like open heart (that included as minimal visiting restriction as possible, meeting mom even if she was intubated, etc.) and a leaf holding a dewdrop if the baby died/was stillborn.

Both served for non-clinical personnel like kitchen workers and administration as a sign not to enter the room, doesn't matter what, as well as to remind everyone else to be quiet and care a bit more while being near that door.

PixieRN1 · Sep 20, 2017

We put a floral grapevine wreath suction-cupped to the door.

Sour Lemon · Sep 20, 2017

OK, for newborns I can definitely see the need. I feel like about 30 people "stopped by" for various reasons after my son was born.

AJJKRN · Sep 20, 2017

Ours is a picture fall leaves. The picture gives the impression of the dry multi-colored leaves falling to the ground.

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 20, 2017

Nothing in my current facility, but my old job did olive branch signs on the door. It was a nursing home, so there wasn't a morgue and residents would sometimes wait several hours before the funeral home would be able to pick them up.

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Sep 21, 2017

We have a butterfly picture. My other facility used a picture of a flower. This tells all staff that a patient has died and the family is still present. It allows them a bit of privacy and helps to prevent awkward moments - like kitchen staff bringing a tray to a deceased patient or a social worker coming to talk about placement. I think it's a great idea. Families are made aware of it as soon as it seems appropriate. Then the sign must be placed ASAP. We are held accountable if it is not done.