How do you deal with seeing a dead body?

[OgopogoLPN]

I am 30 years old and I have never seen a dead human being. Ever.

I know I will be seeing a corpse during my LPN training and of course will be when I become a nurse, but this aspect of becoming a nurse is the scariest for me.

I can deal with poop/vomit/blood/ulcers/pus etc and none of it bothers me. But I really freak out at the thought of being near/having to handle a dead body.

Any words of wisdom for me?

It's really been weighing on my mind lately.

Thanks.

[colleennurse, ASN, RN]

The few times that I have had to do post mortem care I just ensure that the pt is treated with utmost respect. My dad passed away before I became a nurse and when I am doing post mortem care, I think of my dad and how I hope he was treated when they did his post mortem care. He passed in a hospital and when we got the call and went and saw him, I was so appreciative of how the nurses made him look peaceful. That is part of why I wanted to be a nurse.

I had a pt pass a few weeks ago right in front of my eyes, he was a DNR. After we cleaned him up (removed all his lines and such) the family came and I was able to tell them that I was with him when he passed, I hope in my heart that it comforted them somehow. I know that a dead body sounds scary, but I try to think of it that I have the power to make sure that person is being treated with respect during some of thier final care.

DeLySh - Your post made me cry. It sounds like you are going to be a very compassionate and empathetic nurse from what you have experienced in your own life. It is great that you can use these experiences from nursing to help yourself heal.

[time4meRN]

It's just a fear of the un-known. Just take it as it comes. I think you'll find it's not as bad as what you picture. Usually there is so much going on as far as family, paperwork etc.. that the actual look of the body will be second hand. For me it gives me comfort to care for the body, treat it with respect and prepare it for the family so that they may have some comfort. Many times in ER and ICU we need to leave tubes etc in, it can leave the body very shocking looking at least from the family's prespective. We do little things like putting a warm blanket over the pt, leaving one hand out for the family, clean sheet, pillow, dim lighting, monitors off, privacy etc.. If it comes the time that you have a difficult time dealing with this , talk to someone. (EAP, pastor etc. ) Best wishes to you.

[Lorie P.]

i treat the body with respect and loving tender care. if i happen to be witht the family and pt sha thier loved is passing, i make sure to straighten the lines, make sure the pt is as comfortable as possible. the pillow is under the head. i also make sure that kleenexes are in the room.

if i happen to find a pt that has passed, i still do the exact same thing. that way when the family arrives, they loved one is looking as peacesful and calm as possible.

i make sure to lay the bed almost flat

i hope this and the other post help. i have had a couple of family members tell me how very touching it was to find their loved with everyting nice and clean, it just looked like mom/dad went to sleep.

[Chaya, ASN, RN]

I too was apprehensive before doing post-mortem care the first few times. In fact when the time came what I felt was not fear or disgust but awe for the human body and how it had served this person for more than 70 years without cease.

DeLySh, I'm so sorry for what you had to go through. I have often found that through my work I am made to face "lessons" I was not through with yet. I've always needed a little extra time for some things to really sink in, but in my life, they keep coming back at me one way or another until they truly do.

[AirforceRN, RN]

I have done post mortem care for a number of pts in my consolidation (I'm FINISHED!!!!!! yay) and I found it difficult because it is an emerg dept so most of the people that pass are "before their time" or are at least sudden passings. Its also hard because if we do code work on them or anything invasive we are not allowed to remove anything. So the family comes in to see the body and he has a catheter in, he's intubated, has 2 IVs still attached, etc etc. Its hard for them to see all of this. When I do the prep I always try and clean things up the best I can. The family shouldn't have to see any more than they need to.

It is an honour to deal with patients. Every time we touch a patient there is an unstated amount of trust that we are privelidged to recieve. The same goes for pm care. We are being intrusted by this pt and their family to do the best we can. Sure its hard, sometimes it really sucks, especially if you knew the pt, but at least YOU know that the pt is getting the best care he can.

[banditrn]

I can't remember the first dead adult I took care of, it's been so long, and there have been so many - the thing I do remember about most dead bodies is the peaceful look about them.

[Mommy TeleRN, RN]

This is a bit of a side topic - but I've seen a lot of replies "I've taken care of too many to count" Being a soon to be ICU nurse I know I will see my fair share of patients that do not make it for whatever reason.

I worry about feeling like I didn't do "enough" Is this a common feeling?

For instance - a while back there was a patient where I work that had a pneumothorax, got a chest tube and was sent to the ICU, came back to our floor a week or so later, not doing well, was a DNR at that point, and passed away. I wondered would the outcome had been any different had the nurse picked up on the s/s of the pneumo sooner (pt complained through the night it was way too hard to breathe, his O2 sat would drop the minute he removed the NRBM, was hovering at 90 with it and would also easily drop if he spoke too much, etc.) I guess I worry about "missing something" that could lead to a bad outcome.

[doddlebuggin]

Ive worked in a nursing home 16 years and have seen to many fine people expire but I have always felt that most of the folks I take care of are of a generation that were faithful to God and more than likely have a relationship with him and are heaven bound .Now with good minds and whole bodies .My biggest thing was I never wanted them to die alone and so many of them had out lived their families.I pulled chart racks into rooms years ago and sat at bedsides to chart for that very reason.I wont say it gets easier but you learn to cope and there gets to be a little shell around you that prevents you from being to emotional if its some-one you have built a relationship with.Just do the kindest care even post mortem that if some one were watching thay would know you respect and consider it a priviledge to provide that last little bit of human care their body will ever recieve

[jetsetter]

I truly feel it is a privledge and an honor to be with someone in their final moments. Our pts are older, and many are "ready" for the next chapter. To be the one to clean them up, treating them w/dignity and respect, is truly a gift.

[jetscreamer101]

I had the same feelings prior to Anatomy. I was scared to death of dead bodies and couldn't even go to my step-father's funeral because I didn't want to see him dead.

But it ended up being ok - I actually enjoyed dissection theatre. We had two cadavers - both brand new.

I have to say it was easier than cats for some reason . . .

steph

Oddly enough, I too found the cadavers easier to deal with than the cats. Nearly flunked when that section came around.

[AlabamaBelle]

With love, honor and dignity. I still talk to the children after they've gone. The last 2 deaths I've been a part of, the parents have been with the child until they've been placed in the funeral director's car. More and more, the parents are asking that their child not be taken to the morgue. Our NM is very honoring of this and makes sure that an RN stays with the child at all times, until they are placed out of our hands. The families are very appreciative and most of the RNs prefer this.

[huskersfan]

It does get easier over the years, I still remember my first death and cares like it was yesterday! I agree with the other posts, treat the family and body with much respect and I also feel that the body is the shell of the person as the soul is gone. Most suffering at the end do look so peaceful after dieing. It is usually a comfort to the family to see their love one look at peace. What is hard for me is the patients that beg to die and continue to live on not wanting to any more.