Post Mortem Care Flashcards
(15 cards)
Who can announce patient death?
resident
attending physician
if DNR then RN
Physician’s responsibility to notify?
patient’s family
medical examiner if criteria are met
Why tell medical examiner before family?
pending autopsy
surgeon or attending physician
ID tag functions?
on big toe
ID the patient
universal precautions
Who can view the dead patient?
family upon request
Tubes and catheters are removed unless…
physician requests otherwise
autopsy pending
medical examiner
Tape contacts bandage glasses wigs/dentures?
no tape
leave contacts in
don’t bandage hands/wrists
accompany body or send to morgue/give to family
Where do items go if there is no family present?
security office
Medical record sent?
health info management dept. w/ signed death certificate
consent for post-mortem exam
Phone autopsy consent?
witnessed by switchboard operator
Death certificate?
attending, resident, physician, NP, or PA must sign within 24hrs
before releasing body to funeral home
deliver to health info management dept.
Medical examiner criteria 1 (4)
non-natural death
sudden death of healthy person
death in diagnostic/therapeutic treatment w/ gross negligence or trauma in positioning
custody persuement to arrest, prison, halfway house, local lockup, pre-release center
Medical examiner criteria 2 (7)
patient of dept. health/human services
disease threat to public
SIDS or under 18
death without physician
alcohol use, toxins, carcinogens
elderly w/ limp or axial fracture (not head)
sudden elderly death
Autopsy criteria 1 (5)
family/public closure
unanticipated
new trial
intra-op or intra-procedure
48hrs after surgery or invasive diagnostic procedure
Autopsy criteria 2 (5)
pregnancy
psychiatric service
case obscured to delay death cert.
infants/children w/ congenital malformation
death on arriving, 24hrs, injury hospital related
