The document discusses several topics related to end-of-life care including: laws around prolonging life, writing wills, pronouncing death, handling and identifying deceased bodies, autopsies, organ donation, euthanasia, advanced directives, and circumstances requiring investigation of a death. Nurses have responsibilities to follow policies, obtain proper documentation and consent, and treat the deceased with respect.

2.  When the client is either comatose or near to
death there should be knowledge by the
physician and the client’s family about the
actions to prolong the client’s life.

3.  Various countries have laws regarding the
legal requirement for written and oral wills.
Nurses are usually required to notify the
physician and nurse supervisor before acting
as a witness and signing a will. Nurses should
refrain from assisting the client with the
wording of the will at this should be done
with legal advice from an advocate.

4.  The government has formed laws to protect
the public when dealing with issues of death.
It is usually within the scope of practice of
medicine to pronounce a client dead.

5.  When a client dies, the nurse is responsible to
treat the deceased with respect and dignity.
The nurse should prepare the body for
removal to the mortuary according to the
agency policies, the nurse is responsible for
properly identifying the body.

6.  An autopsy is performed to determine the
cause of death. In case of suspicious death or
the presence of communicable disease. The
cause of death also has to do for payment
from insurance policies and the workers
compensation. It requires consent in writing
and nurse is responsible foe ensuring that all
documentation is in place before releasing a
body for autopsy.

7.  The donation of organs for transplantation is
a matter that requires compassion and
sensitivity from the care givers. It is
important that the family of deceased know
the importance of and process for organ
donation. In the absence of proper
documentation, a family member or legal
guardian may authorise donation of the
organs.

8.  It is mercy-killing. This means easy or painless
death. This word was derived from Greek word
meaning “Good Death”.
a) Active Euthanasia : it is to take deliberate action
to end the patient’s life. A physician who
administer a lethal dose commits active
euthanasia.
b) Passive Euthanasia: it is stopping from
treatment that would prolong a person’s life
such as chemotherapy, surgery, NG feeding,
antibiotic therapy but taking no steps to end
his life.

9.  An advanced directive tells the health care
team what kind of care the patient would like
to have if he is unable to make medical
decisions (if in coma)
 A good advanced directive describes the kind
of treatment that patient would want
depending on the sickness.

10.  Organ transplantation is truly one of the
miracles of modern medicine, saving the lives
of many patients and improving the quality of
life for many more.
 Given the ever-increasing gap between the
number of organs needed and the supply,
nurses have an ethical obligation to help
ensure that the desires of people who want to
donate organs are respected.
 Nurses have to ensure that the consent
process is informed and voluntary.

11. 1. Abuse of children, elderly and spouse
2. Drug related injury
3. Unknown cause of death
4. Suicide
5. Violent death
6. Poisoning
7. Accidents
8. Suspicion of criminal action