I have been in the healthcare field for a very long time. I've been a nurse 3.4 of that time, and am in school to advance my degree. I have a hx of LTC (when I was a CNA) and hospice care as both a visiting nurse and a continuous care coordinator. So, I have dealt with a LOT of death, and post-mortem care.
I was absolutely horrified the other day. During clinicals I was pulled, along with a noob student, to do post-mortem care. The only "learning experience" for me was it was an ICU patient, and she had just about every line you could have. So, I got to see new lines, how they were inserted, and what they were for.
Of course we had to remove all the lines, and continue with care (clean, change the bed, dress pt) to get her ready for her family. The funeral home said it would be 2.5 hours till they'd get there (so we were NOT under a time constraint).
So, the ICU nurse began removing lines. When we started helping, she kept saying, "hurry up, you can remove it faster, you don't have to worry about going to slow, she isn't going to feel it." My noob removed the IV from the CL and it started bleeding. She had informed the nurse she had never saw, let alone work with a CL. The nurse said just d/c the IV. Well, my fellow student D/C'd them at the hub, not at the connection... so the nurse slowed for a moment to ream her for a second (then realized she did not help with it by explaining what to do).
Anyhow a (VERY) long story short... I had to stand back. I was taken aback by the lack of respect and dignity this woman was being treated with. When the nurse removed the pasty that kept the ET tube in with such force it snapped the woman's head. She removed a dressing, and skin came with it - she just shrugged and moved on.
If you have worked in a field where you see dead bodies so much that they are nothing short of a piece of meat then MOVE ON! If that were my mother in that bed and I would know how she was treated, I would probably have met that nurse in the parking lot. I spoke to the nurse AND HER MANAGER after we were done. I was appalled. No, it was worse than appalling... I can't find the right word. I was so shaken that I cried when we left the floor.
This person is a HUMAN BEING who was alive just 30 minutes ago. This is someone's mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter. Sure, they don't "feel it" but neither does someone in a coma. So, how does that nurse treat her other patients who can't feel?
When I do post-mortem care, I still take time to warm the water. I remove a band aid like I do from a live person, I don't just rip it off. Heck, I still talk to the person. Just because that person just breathed their last breath doesn't turn them into a slab of ham to throw around, rip things off of, and treat disrespectfully. Death, and the after care is part of our job, too. It isn't the time to take out our frustrations. Please, think of what the family would think if they were watching how you are taking care of their family member.
There should still be dignity with death. Please, remember this... It isn't that hard or time consuming to be respectful to someone who just breathed their last. If nothing else, just remember it is part of our job.
(And, someone may say about the funeral home - IDC how or what happens at the funeral home (well, I do, but I don't have to see it), they deal JUST WITH dead bodies. They didn't just get done caring for this person trying to save her life. They do not go to school to LEARN caring behaviors. It is NOT the same thing).
