postmortem Care

notify the family

• who should you give patients belongings to what should an RN

• what should an RN do immediately after death

• what should a nurse do immediately before death

• what should an RN do prior to allowing family to see the body

• what should a nurse do immediately before death

around 3 hours after death

• when is an autopsy needed?

• when does rigor mortis dissipate

• when does rigor mortis start

• what are signs of decreased cardiac output

the hospital morgue refrigerator

• what are the nurses responsibilities when it comes to post mortem care

• where will the patients body go if mortuary arrangements were not made before their death

• because an RN is authorized to diagnose the absence of human responses, they can also diagnose...

• what should an RN do to help maintain a normal appearance before rigor mortis

-Document the time and date of the event and communicate the pertinent information to the appropriate individuals.

-When death occurs, the RN present may be responsible for diagnosing the absence of human responses, the absence ofspontaneous breathing and heart beat if the primary provider is unavailable.

(not the certification of death)

• what is the RNs role in the pronouncement of death

• what are components of the Pronouncement of Death

• what is done to the body prior to an autopsy

• what are manifestations that occur immediately before death

abnormal breathing pattern characterized by gasping, labored breathing, accompanied by strange vocalizations and twitching.

- 3-4 per min with gasping sounds

• what is agonal breathing

• what is Cheyne stokes respirations

• when is an autopsy needed?

• what is rigor mortis

the absence of responsiveness, spontaneous breathing, and heart beat

• where will the patients body go if mortuary arrangements were not made before their death

• what should an RN do to help maintain a normal appearance before rigor mortis

• what are the nurses responsibilities when it comes to post mortem care

• because an RN is authorized to diagnose the absence of human responses, they can also diagnose...

abnormal breathing with apnea and tachypnea

(period of no breathing then period of heavy breathing)

--^v^v^------^v^v^-----^v^v^--

• what is Cheyne stokes respirations

• when is an autopsy needed?

• what is done to the body prior to an autopsy

• what is agonal breathing

place washcloth under chin to keep mouth closed and place dentures in mouth.

• what should an RN do to help maintain a normal appearance before rigor mortis

• what are the nurses responsibilities when it comes to post mortem care

• what should an RN do prior to allowing family to see the body

• what should an RN do immediately after death

any tubes that were in place should NOT be removed. (follow facility policy)

• what is cheyne stokes respirations

• what should an RN do immediately after death

• where should you place Identification tags

• what is done to the body prior to an autopsy

usually completed by a mortician

• what is the RNs role in the pronouncement of death

• what is Cheyne stokes respirations

• when is it unnecessary to wash the body

• what should an RN do immediately after death