Pm care changes to post

does anyone have written guidelines for an in-patient hospice for pm care.?

please read some of the extras i have been including in my pm care and give feed back as to whether you have done these things yourself and if you think they are a good idea or not.

if i know the patient well and we have talked about how they want to die then it is easy to respect wishes. obviously the family are includued in this process.

• giving a full bed bath and making every effort to present the body to look as immaculate as possible for the family .yes, and that includes the patient who had a bed bath one an hour ago.
  
• asking the family if they wish to participate in the last bath to allow closure. when family is not available having 2 staff members/ perhaps a volunteer work together. i was taught that since most patients develop a terminal fever it's nice to bath them .it seems from reading other threads on this topic that this is a matter of personal opinion and there are no set guidelines. obviously if they have a religious /spiritual preference for handling the body then we respect that .personally my belief is that we are midwifes and just as a midwife baths a new born baby, so the hospice nurse baths her patient for the next journey.
  
• placing a flower on the bed /pillow if a lady. making the room clean by removing all medical equipment and supplies. making it appears like "home". making sure a box of tissues are nearby and chairs and available for the family. i also try not to dress the body a ghastly hospital gown and try to use colored sheets so it feels more like home.
  
• handling the body with the same gentleness and respect (as if they were still alive) right up to the point of leaving in the pick up vehicle. i always follow the deceased as they wheel them out and watch that they are gently placed in the vehicle. i support family members as the body leaves the building as this is can be incredibly painful goodbye
  
• making the room smell good with a hint of aromatherapy if permitted.sometime playing relaxation music.
  
• offering to light a candle if permitted and obviously no o2 around
  

[color=#7f007f]this is very close to my heart and a part of hospice care which i feel should not be skipped. :redbeathe