POST-MORTEM CARE: ROLE OF THE NURSE

I. Purpose:
To clean the patient's body and prepare it for removal from the hospital after death.

II. Responsibilities of the Nurse

1. Care of the Valuables

a) Valuable with the patient at the time of death should be identified, accounted for and sent to the proper department of the institution for safe keeping until family claims for it.
b) Valuables taken or given to the patient's family should be voted on the form sheet specified by the institution.


2. Care of the body

a) Post mortem care of the body is not rendered unless the physician has pronounced the patient to be dead
b) Indicate the chart time the patient was pronounced dead and the physician pronouncing
c) Have the body cleaned and properly identified
d) If the patient is communicable the water used in cleaning must be medicated
e) Inform medico legal Officer if accident, suicide, homicide, or illegal therapeutic practices causes death
f) Prevent all means of distortion, discoloration or scarring of the body as it is distressed to the family.

3. Accomplishment of necessary papers related to death. Death certificate is sent to the local health Department. It is accomplished by the physician and signed by him and by pathologist if autopsy has been performed.

4. Attitude towards the family. Provide all means to comfort the family and relatives who may be around.