Patient Death Process


I. Steps to take after a Patient Death at UNMH

 

*If you are Cross Covering a patient that passes away (like at night) you do not have to do the death summary- it should be done by someone who knows the patient well- often the intern following the patient, but you do have to enter a death note and contact the team with any details they will need.

 

II. Death Note Template (you can write this under an "Inpatient Provider Progress Note"

Called at _ by _ to pronounce _.

Time of Death: Patient was pronounced dead on _/_/_ at _:_.  

Brief HPI: _.

On exam, no heart sounds or breath sounds were noted after 1 minute of auscultation. Pupils were fixed and dilated without pupillary light reflex. 

Attending, Dr. _, was notified. 

Presumed Cause of Death: _

Family Notified: Family _was present/notified by phone and condolences were offered. 

Death packet has been completed.  The organ donor network was notified and the case was _accepted/declined.  The case was reported to the office of the medical investigator.

Autopsy was offered to family and family has elected to _have/not have an autopsy.

 

III. Death Summary Template

Use the same dictation code as a discharge summary: 01

 

Sections

Admission Date

Date and Time of Death

Attending at Time of Death

Admitting Diagnoses

Diagnoses at Time of Death

Hospital Course, highlighting events surrounding the patient passing away

 

(you do not need a dc med list)

 

IV. More info