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?
The hospital I did clinicals at had a beautiful picture of a tree with sunlight streaming through the branches that they used on L&D when a baby passed away. It also said Do Not Disturb at the bottom. I didn't see any special signs for adult patients that passed though that would be a good idea.
Thank-you so much everyone for responding to my question. The answers are very helpful and exactly what the nursing administrator is looking for. Please keep them coming. I will be checking back for a few more days just in case anybody else wants to respond.
I can't remember what our sign was. A tree? I think its helpful to have it say "Do not disturb". The generic, "See the nurse before entering" sign doesn't seem to cut it - I guess its become so common that people (staff) sometimes disregard it, but nobody disregards the "This person died" sign.
I've heard from family members who have had people accidentally come in after their family people has died - dietary, PT, RT (without knowing)....it is something they remember about the experience and while it doesn't "ruin" it, it is definitely something that they remember and would be better if it could be avoided.
I've only heard of this on postpartum floors. At the hospital where I did my maternity clinicals, they put a leaf with a falling raindrop on the door if a baby had died.
Something similar would be a great idea for adults. My mother-in-law died in a rehab hospital, and as the family cried in the room, an employee walked in with some equipment. I also worked in a nursing home where a resident's body got lost. That place had stickers for lots of things, but nothing for "dead resident in room."
AvaRose
191 Posts
The hospital I did clinicals at had a beautiful picture of a tree with sunlight streaming through the branches that they used on L&D when a baby passed away. It also said Do Not Disturb at the bottom. I didn't see any special signs for adult patients that passed though that would be a good idea.