POLICY STATEMENT.
The Division of
Veterans Healthcare Services (DVHS) requires that each of the New Jersey
Veterans Memorial Homes (VMH) establish protocols assuring that the
responsibility for the pronouncement of death is discharged in accordance with
County or State regulations, and in a compassionate, dignified, and expeditious
manner.
PURPOSE.
This policy and procedure
shall serve to ensure that the pronouncement of death for deceased veterans
home residents will be accomplished in a dignified, compassionate and
expeditious manner, in accordance with County or State Regulations.
DEFINITION.
Death is defined as the irreversible cessation
of heartbeat and respiration, and the irreversible cessation of total circulatory
and brain function.
PROCEDURE.
A.
Death occurring at a New Jersey Veterans
Memorial Home
1.
The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes
shall ensure that the pronouncement of death for deceased veterans home
residents occurs at the time of death, as follows:
a.
Medical and Nursing Department Responsibilities
1)
When a veterans home resident is found
with fixed dilated pupils, lack of respiration, lack of heartbeat, and lack of spontaneous
function of the circulatory system, the physician, a nurse practitioner or a
registered nurse will assess the resident and the pronouncement of death will
be made as required by County or State regulations.
2)
The
3)
The
facility will promptly notify a family member, guardian, or other designated
person about a resident’s death.
(a) Notification shall be made at the time of the
pronouncement of the resident’s death, and the time between the pronouncement
of the resident’s death and notification shall not exceed one hour, unless the
family member, guardian or other designated person to be contacted provided
other instructions as to when the required notification is to occur.
(b) The Facility shall enter any alternate
instructions in the resident’s record along side the contact information.
4)
If
the family member cannot be reached the VMH will contact the local police of
the municipality in which the family resides, and the VMH will request that the
police contact the family and ask the family to contact the VMH
(a) In the event the police are unable to locate
the family members/representative, and in the absence of Social Services, the
Physician, Nurse Practitioner or Registered Nurse, will send a telegram
(reference Section C of this procedure) to the next of kin or guardian.
i.
Coast
to Coast Telegram Services may be contacted at 1-800-693-0807 for the purpose
of issuing a telegram.
5)
The date, time and manner in which
notification occurred shall be recorded in the resident's medical record.
6)
The Medical Examiner, pronouncing
physician, nurse practitioner or registered nurse will assure the death
certificate is signed.
7)
All facility census records will be
adjusted accordingly.
8)
All deaths are to be entered into the
Morbidity and Mortality Report.
b.
Nursing Services Staff will:
1)
Provide post mortem care
2)
Notify the following departments:
(a) Administration
(b) Medical
(c) Social
Services
(d) Housekeeping/Laundry
(e) Pharmacy
(f) Dietary/Food
Service
(g) Police (as
applicable)
3)
Inventory all personal
belongings/possessions per facility procedure.
4)
Document all pertinent information and
communications in the Interdisciplinary Progress Notes, i.e., family
notification, disposition of medications, etc.
5)
Initiate and complete Preliminary Unusual
Incident Sentinel Event Report form, NJDMAVA Form 6 and forward to VMH
Administration.
c.
Social Service Responsibilities:
1)
In the event that the police are unable
to locate the family member/representative, Social Service will, during regular
business hours, send a telegram or a certified /return-receipt requested letter
to the next-of-kin or guardian.
2)
The telegram or certified /return-receipt
requested letter format will include:
(a) New Jersey
Veterans Memorial Home Name
(b) Reference to: (Resident's
Name)
(c) Message to
read: Please contact (Name), (Title) at
the (VMH) at the following telephone number (XXX-XXX-XXXX).
NOTE: DO NOT
GIVE SPECIFIC INFORMATION IN THE TELEGRAM/ LETTER.
3)
Send a letter of condolence to the
next-of-kin/guardian.
4)
Request that the next-of-kin/guardian
obtain the Surrogate Release Form from the County Court House to obtain the
deceased resident’s personal belongings.
5)
Request that the next-of-kin/guardian contact
the Business Office to close the account.
d.
Administration will:
1)
Review investigation report as outlined
in the Preliminary Unusual Incident Sentinel Event Report form, NJDMAVA Form 6.
2)
Make appropriate notification as outlined
in the Preliminary Unusual Incident Sentinel Event Report form, NJDMAVA Form 6.
B.
Death occurring at an outside hospital:
1.
All calls received from outside hospitals
shall be forwarded to the Nursing Supervisor.
2.
The outside hospital will notify the
family member/guardian/representative.
POINTS TO
REMEMBER: ALL
CLINICAL SERVICES DISCIPLINES WILL COMPLETE A NOTE OF DISCHARGE IN THE MEDICAL
RECORD, AS WELL AS THE DISCHARGE SUMMARY FORM, AND FORWARD THE RECORD AND THE
FORM TO THE MEDICAL RECORD’S DEPARTMENT WITHIN 30-DAYS.
Revised: June 2007