Death at Home, Pronouncement of Death and Post-Death Care
Sets out how the Agency prepares families for an expected death at home, how a registered nurse under section 507 or a trained licensed practical nurse under section 508 of the Vital Statistics Law pronounces death and releases the body, the LPN training and competency program Act 137 of 2024 requires, which deaths go to the coroner, who is notified, and how post-death care is given.
About this policy
- Policy number
- PA-HSP-DTH-01
- Version
- 1.0
- Main rule
- 35 P.S. §450.507
- Library
- Pennsylvania hospice · 60 policies
- Category
- Hospice care
- Sections
- 24
In short
- Only nurses on the Agency's authorized list may pronounce death. Aides and volunteers never do.
- An LPN may pronounce only after the required training (at least 3 hours) and a yearly skills check, and only if the patient has a valid do-not-resuscitate order.
- Before releasing the body to the funeral director, tell the attending physician or CRNP and a family member.
- If the death looks unexpected, violent or suspicious, do not move anything and call the county coroner, and report a suspicious death to the police.
- Nurses never decide the cause of death. The physician, CRNP or coroner does.
- Record everything on Form PA-HSP-DTH-01-A the same day.
What's inside
24 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.
- Terms of Reference
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Policy Statement and Governing Body Decision (35 P.S. §§450.507, 450.508)
- 5. Preparing for an Expected Death at Home
- 6. When a Death Is Reported
- 7. Pronouncement by an Authorized Nurse
- 7.1 Authorization
- 7.2 LPN training and competency program (35 P.S. §450.508(e))
- 7.3 Determining and pronouncing death
- 7.4 If no authorized nurse can attend
- 8. Deaths That Go to the Coroner
- 9. Notifications After Death
- 10. The Death Certificate
- 11. Care After Death
- 12. After the Death: Records and Staff Support
- 13. Responsibilities
- 14. Records and Compliance Monitoring
- 15. Staff Training
- 16. References
- 17. Related Policies and Forms
- 18. Approval
- 19. Revision History
An inspector may ask
- Do your nurses pronounce death? Show me the governing body's decision and the list of nurses authorized to do it.
- Show me this LPN's three hours of pronouncement training, the annual training and the annual competency assessment.
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