As I was looking over the guidelines at work about what nursing responsibilities are when a patient dies, I happened to notice a statement that did not seem quite right. It stated something along the lines of, "If a patient dies, shut the door, and let the next shift deal with it." This obviously cannot be a real policy, so I asked several of my coworkers what they thought about the statement. Several of them thought that it was meant to be a sarcastic statement, although we all agreed that it wasn't a very good joke. I actually enjoy sarcasm and joking around, but to me, it seems like a policy book, especially one regarding death, is not the appropriate place for that. So, I am wondering...would you say something about it? Who would you speak to? Something like this could reflect very poorly on the facility if an outsider was to see it...
Considering the "quote" was preceded by "something along the lines of", it doesn't sound like it's an actual quote from the policy.
I agree.
My first thought was that the OP misunderstood the policy of closing the doors of the rooms of the other patients when the mortuary takes the body via a gurney down the hall and out to the van.
My first thought was that the OP misunderstood the policy of closing the doors of the rooms of the other patients when the mortuary takes the body via a gurney down the hall and out to the van.
Or closing the patient's door after post mortem care is completed while waiting for pick up.
I have a hard time believing that a passage like that made it through legal. Surely several people signed off on the policies in your handbook, legal representation being one of them.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
'Shutting the door' appears to be the only appropriate directive within the supposed policy on handling bodies of deceased patients.
After all, other patients and visitors on the floor do not need to be reminded of their mortality when walking past an open door with a corpse on the bed.
I would send an email to my unit director, the head of the hospital and the director of nursing pointing this out. This has the potential to blow up horribly at some point in time.
Part of the review process for policies goes through the legal department. Doubtful a lawyer would ever let something like that slide.
The "policy books" at both my workplaces are a three-ring binder with printed pages. It would be trivial to slip something in as a prank, which is what I'm picturing here, rather than an official policy.
The "policy books" at both my workplaces are a three-ring binder with printed pages. It would be trivial to slip something in as a prank, which is what I'm picturing here, rather than an official policy.
Having been part of a team that wrote a "policy & procedures" manual once (in a different field) - I can totally see that happening.. & totally see it making it through legal. What are we talking - 500 pages, a thousand, two thousand? it would be *so* easy to stick a snarky comment in as a placeholder & then forget to revise it / skim over it, etc.
Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN
11,305 Posts
I agree.
My first thought was that the OP misunderstood the policy of closing the doors of the rooms of the other patients when the mortuary takes the body via a gurney down the hall and out to the van.