Verification of Expected Death

Description

By the end of the course, candidates will be able to:

• Discuss legal and professional responsibilities associated with verification of an expected death within local and national guidance
• Follow procedures for correct documentation
• Describe relevant anatomy
• Identify necessary equipment
• Give a detailed description of the clinical examination and assessment that enables a verification of death to be made
• Demonstrate practical ability in a simulated clinical examination of a deceased person
• List the people that may need to be contacted after a death
• Outline certain aspects that could raise concerns of a suspicious death

Course Content

• Legal and professional considerations and responsibilities
• Consent
• Historical aspects
• Verification of death
• Certification of death
• Professional scope – NMC, RCN
• Advantages of nurse verification
• What is an expected death
• When not able to verify
• When to refer to Coroner
• Categories of death
• Clinical signs of death
• Verification procedure
  • Carotid pulse
  • Heart sounds
  • Respirations
  • Pupillary reaction
  • Painful stimuli
• Documentation
• After verification
• Non-natural deaths