Published
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...
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.
Or closing the patient's door after post mortem care is completed while waiting for pick up.
Screenshot of that policy or it didn't happen.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.