Post mortem care practices and procedures

¶ … hospitals with regard to postmortem care. In particular, the procedures used in postmortem care involve methods for appropriate care of the body after death, sensitive and appropriate notification of death to the significant other and family, as well as notification to the coroner. The various departments within hospitals have different criteria regarding policies and procedures pertaining to postmortem care. The following outlines the procedures generally followed as well as policies followed with regard to postmortem care within different departments of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

Following the death of a patient, a final nursing assessment is generally performed including documentation regarding several details pertaining to the patient's death. These details include: the name of the patient, time that the physician was contacted, and the pronunciation of death; individuals present at the time of death, including family, friends, and healthcare workers; the time of the assessment; general appearance of the patient; lack of response to stimulus or reflex; absence of breathing; absence of pulse; physical examination details; identification of all people notified regarding the death; and any specific plans for disposition, including autopsy, organ donation, and cultural or religious details (American Society of Registered Nurses, 2008).

It is important that the body is prepared after death so that it presents as clean and peaceful for any family members that would like to view the body before it is removed from the hospital. The body is usually washed and the hair is combed. Family members may also be invited to participate in the preparation of the body (American Society of Registered Nurses, 2008).

The three main types of physical change that happen to the body postmortem include algor mortis, postmortem decomposition, and rigor mortis. Actions such as appropriate postmortem positioning function to minimize the impact of rigor mortis. This positioning involves placement of the limbs and hands in proper alignment with the body (American Society of Registered Nurses, 2008). In addition, the jaw and eyelids are closed, and dentures are placed within the mouth (American Society of Registered Nurses, 2008).

Postmortem care policies within the Louisiana State University Health Sciences center differ depending on the department within which the patient's death occurred. On the in-patient unit, nursing personnel are entirely responsible for making sure that any necessary postmortem care is fully and properly completed. If a patient passes away in an ancillary department within the hospital, the admitting unit or clinic that took the patient in will ensure that staff are sent to the ancillary department for preparation of the body prior to delivery to the morgue. It is expected that the staff within the ancillary department assist the nurses with preparation of the body as deemed necessary. Any family that may be in the original unit should be accompanied to the ancillary department by a member of the nursing staff in order to view the body prior to it being transported to the morgue. The family should be granted privacy and support by the nursing staff (Lousiana State University Health Sciences Center -- Shreveport, 2011).