Shrowding procedures

nialloh, RN · Mar 24, 2004

Those of you who work in inpatient care:
How do you shrowd bodies before you send them to the morgue or have the funeral home pick them up? Do you use a ready made kit? What does it have in it? Do you feel what your using and the methods you use to be respectful to the person?

We have a pack that has the bag and 3 tags (toe, bag and belongings). When I started in the hospital, I was told we were to take the gown before bagging the pt. I never have out of respect for the pt.

cursenurse · Mar 24, 2004

i think it depends on the facility's policy. i worked at one place where you had to wrap the person in a huge piece of plastic and tie strings around the body, and other places where you just rendered pericare, put a brief and a gown on them and the funeral home staff would just put the person in a body bag and take them. i've never thought either method was disrespectful.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Mar 24, 2004

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56708&highlight=wrap+body

This discussion might also be useful, Adrie :). I can't help as I have still (knock on wood) not had anyone pass at my current workplace.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Mar 24, 2004

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56708&highlight=wrap+body This discussion might also be useful, Adrie...

Yep, thought we'd hit this recently.

adrienurse, LPN · Mar 25, 2004

......and I missed it of course :)

Thanks for the link.

It seems I am in the position to change/update our current policy on post-mortem care. I really didn't have the foggiest idea why we went about the things we did, and why some places are so elaborate in their instructions on how to prepare the body (wrap in sheet, tie in multiple places, tie around the head and under the jaw to keep in closed position.......). I was thinking it was one of those nursing secret cows -- something we put ourselves through with no real reason. I just always find the feeling of wrapping the person into what amounts to a big garbage bag to be distasteful.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2004

Adrie - over here we use what amounts to a large zip up plasticised bag with three tags - one on the chest one one the bag and the other for the morgue. I think there might be some infection control issues that need to be addressed - I would start with a phone call to a couple of your more reputable local funeral directors - they probably have good insight into the laws relating to post mortem care and what thier expectations are.

lsyorke, RN · Mar 25, 2004

"tie around the head and under the jaw to keep in closed position"

We used to do this years ago, but the local funeral homes put out the word to hospitals that it does more harm(leaves marks,cuts skin) than good. We just use the body bag and tag.