How to make the last trades
Although it is an emotionally demanding task, performing the last offices on a patient is a very important part of nursing. I don’t just see it as a sacred task, it is the ultimate act of kindness a nurse can do for her patient!
You may have cared for the patient for a long time and watched him deteriorate until he took his last breath. Or they may have died suddenly. It doesn’t matter how the patient dies, but as a nurse there is a high probability that at some point in her career she will be faced with a situation where she will have to perform last consultations with a patient. This task may not be for everyone as it can be emotionally draining. However, if you do come across a dead body on your floor or unit, here are some tips on how to make last visits to your patient:
1) First confirm with the doctors that they are indeed dead. (well, strange things happen!)
2) Remove all attached monitoring equipment.
3) If they have loved ones nearby that they have left behind, ask them if they would like to spend some time with them before you start working on the body. You can still spend more time later, but show that you respect their feelings in this difficult time.
4) They say that the sense of hearing is the last to go, so when a patient dies, be aware of what they are saying around you, especially soon after their death. There is a lot to be said about respecting the dead!
5) As ridiculous as it sounds, you can talk to your patient during this act of love and kindness. You’re not crazy and it doesn’t matter if they can still hear you or not. You do it because you are a respectful and caring nurse!
6) If you do not feel comfortable performing this task or if you are not sure how it is done, it is advisable to seek the help of a colleague. The same rule of not going beyond your experience level still applies even on a corpse!
7) Clean the body, sealing the orifices such as the nose, the anus, etc. with cotton or whatever is appropriate for its use.
8) When everything has been cleaned, the body should be placed in a body bag and tagged according to your hospital guidelines before being taken to the morgue.
9) Treat the corpse as you would like to be treated, with respect! Remember that this is the mother, father, uncle or son of God.
