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M -14 <br />K <br />ORANGE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT <br />DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES <br />POLICY <br />HANDLING THE DECEASED <br />PURPOSE: <br />It is the purpose of this policy to insure EMS personnel have <br />the proper guidance when death is encountered. The policy <br />will address the necessary procedures as well as professional <br />consideration for family, friends, witnesses and dignity for <br />the deceased. <br />INTENT: <br />The intent of this policy is to define the responsibility of <br />EMS personnel and to establish procedures to be followed in <br />cases involving deceased patients. The procedure will <br />address the deceased in the home environment, deceased in the <br />violent death environment, and deceased in a crime scene <br />environment. <br />PROCEDURE: HOME ENVIRONMENT <br />For the purpose of this procedure, home environment refers to <br />patients expiring from natural causes under the care of a <br />physician and not involved in an accident or a crime. <br />The EMS personnel will verify death by the accepted criteria, <br />then follow these guidelines: <br />1. Family members should be professionally informed <br />that the patient is deceased. <br />2. Obtain the name and number of the patient's <br />physician and the funeral home of their choice. <br />3. Make contact with patient's physician, giving <br />patient's name, age, sex, medical history and <br />complete circumstances surrounding the death. Ask <br />if the physician wants a post or just to release the <br />body to the funeral home. If the physician cannot <br />be reached, the Medical Examiner is to be notified. <br />4. If the physician agrees to certify the death <br />or the Medical Examiner instructs to release the <br />body to the funeral home, assist the family in <br />contacting the funeral home, giving the family name, <br />deceased name, direction to the residence and the <br />name and instruction of the physician. <br />