What happens to people after they die in hospital

[Unsureif]

I don't know what's made me wonder this morning. A few years ago my DM died in hospital. We said our goodbyes and left her in the room, looking like she was sleeping. The hospital was fairly busy during this time, think it was visiting hours.

What will have happened after we left? Will they have treated her as if she were still alive, talked to her? Do they really cover up their faces? And how are they taken to the morgue?

Just want to know. Really missing DM.

The post started with "When my DM died in hospital", so I'm not sure how you failed to pick up that it was a personal post and not just idle curiosity.

No it started with "i don't know what made me wonder this".

Ask for your posts to be deleted then pirate. Job done.

I have, as soon as i did the thing, but everyone else mentions them, this is what i'm tryign to tell people.

We sat with my Dad, after he had passed, the staff brought cups of tea, no one rushed us out of the room or made us feel like we were in the way. It was a peaceful oasis between the dreadful knowledge we were losing him and the whirl of blasted paperwork/arrangements.

I will always be grateful for the kindness shown at that hospital.

I know this isn't quite answering the q, more like illuminating the care at end of life for family, too.

My gran is a retired nurse. She always spoke to her patients after they'd gone, and she was preparing their body.

I lost my granddad at the end of September, in hospital. I'd like to think the staff spoke to him and were just as caring as when he was alive.

Not hospital but my sister works in a care home for the elderly, when one dies/is dying my sister sits with them, washes them, makes them comfy in there beds etc, holds there hand etc until the doctors arrives, a lot of these people have no family that care enough to come and my sister hates the thought off them being alone!

I can assure you your dm would have been well cared for.
When I did my health care assistant training we spent a whole day learning about care of patients that had passed away.
Emphasis was placed on dignity and respect and this being the last act of kindness for a patient.

I've never once witnessed anbody being cold and disrespectful when caring for a patient that has passed. We did the window opening thing too. I always treat patients like I would want my loved ones treated.

I was OK until I read about the nurses and midwives sometimes accompanying little babies/children to the mortuary - that's so unbelievably lovely

My uncle died as a baby. He had coeliac disease and this was bf it was understood and he was in hospital for months before getting pneumonia. In the 30s it was thought shaving the head of a seriously ill person helped and the nurse who did this saved the baby curls for my GPs. And when he died, the same nurse placed a bunch of snowdrops on his wee hands. She became dear family friend who was at my wedding 50 years later.
Once again, thank you to all the lovely HCPs.

I remember sitting with a lady that was dying in my old line of work, and I sung to her and chatted to her softly, I think this is just standard care. The HCP I worked with were very gentle and kind towards those who had passed or were passing. So sorry for your loss OP please don't worry anyone about how a loved one is treated after they've gone, I can honestly say from my work and x post with many here that it's with dignity and utmost respect.

Oh - this has set me off. My Granny died last week. She was a good age but it still is so sad. I'm so sorry for other's losses.

Am off to cuddle 5 month old DD

as part of my job I often have to examine people and declare their deaths: eg check their heart, breathing, neurological response before the nursing staff prepare them for family visiting or transport, and I can assure you I never approach the patient with anything less than profoundest respect, I speak to them, and talk through the physical exam exactly as I would if they were alive, and make sure they are composed afterwards eg sheets drawn as if they were lying asleep, eyes closed, if possible any tubes or equipment removed. Its the last dignity I can afford them, and its how I would want my relatives to be treated.

At the hospital I used to work in (not on the wards), the last entry in deceased patients' notes was written by a doctor, usually one of the juniors. They wrote down the observations/checks done to confirm that death had occurred, the time of death, and underneath they would always write: RIP.

I always thought that was a very caring and respectful thing to do.

to all of you who have shared your stories.

Reading them makes me very proud of the old NHS and full of admiration for all of you doing the jobs you do.

for you too, OP and anyone else who has suffered a loss.

Fuck, Wanda, that's properly got me going. I had no idea of these things but wow, just wow, at what amazing people all you HCP are. Seriously, I can't thank you enough for what you do.

I also lip wobbled before descending into a snotty mess about the babies being accompanied.

I'm ok. It's just some days are still hard a few years down the line, especially when going through some of life's bigger things without her.

as for pirate and her nit picking and wanting to have the last word, let's all ignore any more posts, ok?

And yes for sleeping and everyone else too!

Thank you unsure

This thread has made me smile and feel better today.

I am a nurse in a hospital and when someone dies two of us care for the person, I always talk to the person and handle them with utmost respect and dignity, we wash the person, change their clothes and prepare them for relatives.

Myself and my colleagues always say we feel it is a privalige to provide the final care for our patients. (Sorry about the spelling night shift brain).

This thread has made me teary. You wonderful, special people. Thank you

Hugs to you OP, hope it has helped to know that your DM will have been treated with dignity and respect.

Yes Wanda I used to be a medical secretary & typing up the last note the last dictation would be RIP. Then I would write RIP on the front of the file.

Sorry I didn't mean to make people cry and I wondered about posting but you never wonder about this stuff until a person you love dies and then it's very, very important so I wanted to share it as the knowledge might bring comfort in the future (or now) for someone reading.

This thread has really started me off again. My grandmother died just over 3 weeks ago - I knew she was deteriorating and so I drove like a madwoman for 4 hours (with three kids in the car!) to see her. Unfortunately I missed her by half an hour. They had pulled the curtains round and at first we assumed they were changing her bedding or something. I went in, gave her a kiss on the forehead and left the hospital in a daze. I know my dad and stepmum hung around the hospital for some time afterwards, but this question has been playing on my mind since then. Thank you to all who have posted about their experience in the profession, your kindness and that of the staff who looked after my granny recently means a great deal to me.

Thank you for posting this. I have often wondered this and am very reassured by your stories.

Sorry for the loss of your mum Unsureif

My mum was a nurse for 25 years and now she is a funeral director.

She talks to people when they have died. She treats them as though they are another person in the room a bit I suppose.

As mad as that may sound, I think its nice, respectful in a way, and comforting.