Medical Malpractice

What is the medical procedure/ law related to RNs or APRNS in pronouncing death?

Please also recommend some nursing home providing such death certifying service

Public Comments

1. Not sure of your question but in my state and in our hospital when there is a death, the nurse has to call the doctor and they let the dr know when the pt passed away and he then pronounces death and nurse writes it as an order. Hope I helped some.
2. for the state of AZ-anytime a patient expires-the nurse is required to call the doctor on-call and let them know the patient has passed and what time. the nurse then has to get a second nurse to witness the phone call and also get the verbal order to sign the death form. the doctor must then come in and sign the patient's death certificate-this only applies to patients that are DNR status-which means do not resuscutate-this is where a patient has signed a form (living will) that states they do not want cpr of any other measure taken to save their life if they stop breathing or their heart stops. if a patient is a full code-which means they DO want cpr performed and they stop breathing-a code will be called and a special team of people-usually a doctor from the emergency room,several respiratory therapists,a anesthesiologist,and a few nurses will respond and do whatever necessary to try and save the patient's life. if they do not make it and pass away, the emergency room doctor will then sign the death certificate. hope this was a help to you