Death Procedures
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Death Procedures DISCLAIMER The material contained within this document was sourced from a module the Good to Great e-learning (ELMO) system. This material is for reference only. No claim or representation is made or warranty given, express or implied, in relation to any of the material. You use the material entirely at your own risk. The material is provided as point-in-time reference documents. DCJ does not maintain the material and does not undertake to ensure that it is accurate, current, suitable or complete. Where conditions and warranties implied by law cannot be excluded, DCJ limits its liability where it is entitled to do so. Otherwise, DCJ is not liable for any loss or damage (including consequential loss or damage) to any person, however caused (including for negligence), which may arise directly or indirectly from the material or the use of such material. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures MODULE Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Support workers ADHC support workers include: • Disability support workers; • Nursing staff; • Line managers. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Support services Support services include: • Large Residences; • Specialist Supported Living services; • Assisted Boarding Houses; • Group homes; • Centre-based respite; • In-home accommodation support. Assisted Boarding Houses Assisted Boarding Houses are required to follow these Procedures as specified in the Assisted Boarding Houses Authorisation and Monitoring Manual. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Apply first aid and call an ambulance If the person is unresponsive or unusually unwell: • The support worker holding a first aid qualification starts first aid; • Immediately call an ambulance using 000; • Inform the ambulance if the person has a current medically authorised Resuscitation Plan or Advanced Care Directive; • First aid is continued until the ambulance arrives. Notify the line manager You must ensure that a relevant manager is notified of the situation, this can be: • Direct line manager; • Senior manager; • On call manager. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Hand over to the attending ambulance officers On arrival of the ambulance: • Responsibility for continuing first aid is handed over to the attending ambulance officers; • The person's Advance Care Directive and / or Resuscitation Plan must be provided to the ambulance officers, if applicable, and informs the ambulance officer of the person's wishes regarding resuscitation; • The officers will access the NSW Ambulance Palliative or Authorised Care Plan online, if the person's GP or treating medical officer had previously lodged one. Further information on Advance Care Directives can be found in the End of Life Care Planning Guidelines. Notify the manager and the person's family / guardian If the person is admitted to hospital, you must first notify the line manager and the person's family / guardian, and then: • Provide the hospital with the person's Hospital Support Plan; • Ensure any disability support required is negotiated between ADHC and the hospital, according to the Hospitalisation Guidelines and the person's Hospital Support Plan. You must provide support to ensure the person's wishes concerning end of life care are followed, where a person has an End of Life Care Plan. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures ADHC management must be notified The process for notifying management is for: • You to report the death to the manager or on call manager; • The manager to report the death to the Director Disability Operations; • The Director Disability Operations to notify the Executive Director Disability Operations. Senior management will provide advice Senior management must then provide advice and support to the appropriate manager to: • Notify the next of kin or guardian; • Notify the Police; • Develop the Briefing Note. Responsibility will be delegated The Manager, Accommodation and Respite is the central point of contact, and will delegate responsibility to the Coordinator and Team Leader as appropriate. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Manager In ADHC operated disability services, manager refers to: • Team Leaders; • Coordinators Accommodation and Respite; • Registered Nurse Unit Managers; • Nurse Manager Accommodation and Nursing Services; • Any manager in the reporting line. Notify the next of kin or guardian The manager is to notify the next of kin or guardian in person, where possible: • When and where the person died; • That the death will be reported to the Police who will inform the State Coroner; • That the death will be reported to the NSW Ombudsman. For Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, it is important for the family to identify the appropriate member of the family and advise them of the matters surrounding the death. It may be inappropriate for a staff member to inform the family as this could be a breach of cultural protocol. It may also be a breach of protocol for a non-Aboriginal person to inform the identified family member of the death and this may need to be done by another Aboriginal person. Appropriate process Prior to notifying next of kin, ring in advance and state a situation has occurred and that you need to come and speak with them. Ask the next of kin if they would like to arrange a support person to be with them whilst you meet with them. In the case where face-to-face notification cannot occur, inform the next of kin over the phone that a situation has occurred and ask if they would like to arrange a support person of their choice to be present prior to giving notification. In the case where the next of kin do not arrange a support person at the time of the notification, ensure that support is arranged immediately afterwards. Refer to the person's End of Life Care Plan Information on the person's and the family's wishes in the event of death should be documented in the person's End of Life Care Plan. If the person did not prepare an End of Life Care Plan, the manager will liaise with the next of kin or guardian to determine: Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures • If they require an interpreter service; • The need to observe any cultural or religious practices or taboos; • Whether the family or others wish to view the deceased person; • A suitable time to view the deceased person before transportation to the State Coroner. Alternatively, viewing times may be arranged with the State Coroner or funeral director. If requested, allow access for family and significant others to come and visit the house The person's family and significant others may choose to visit the house to view the person's bedroom and belongings. To facilitate this, ensure the person's bedroom and belongings remain how they were left. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Support Support for another person with disability, includes: • An advocate or person of their choice; • Legal representation, if necessary. Identify the person The person must be identified by either: • Family; • A friend; • The manager; • An ADHC employee who knows the person. Note 1 Under the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Regulation 2005, a vulnerable person as defined in Regulation 24 (person with disability) is entitled to have a support person present when a person is being interviewed by police (Regulation 27). Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures The support person does not have the same function as the 'person responsible' and will not make decisions for the person with disability. However, it is: • Someone who is a guardian; or • Any other person who is responsible for the person; or • A relative or friend who has the consent of the detained person to be their support person. A support person's role during an investigation procedure is to assist and support the person, observe whether or not the interview is being conducted fairly, and to identify any communication problems with the person. Note 2 The manager of an Assisted Boarding House is required under the Boarding House Act to inform FACS as soon as is reasonably possible (preferably within 24 hours), about the death of a person from an Assisted Boarding House, as outlined in the Assisted Boarding Houses Authorisation and Monitoring Manual. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Transported to the morgue The NSW Police are responsible for placement of an identification tag and arranging transportation of the deceased to the State Coroner. Temporarily absent A person is temporarily absent when, for example, they are: • In hospital; • In an aged care facility; • Staying with family or friends. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Serious incidents Serious incidents include: • Serious illness; • Serious injury; • Dangerous incident (an incident that exposes a worker or any other person to a serious risk to health or safety); • The death of a person arising out of work carried out by a business undertaking or workplace. This includes the death or serious injury of a person living in an ADHC operated or funded service or in an Assisted Boarding House. Preserved The manager is responsible for ensuring that the site where the incident occurred is left undisturbed, so far as possible. An incident site may be disturbed to: • Assist an injured person; • Remove a deceased person; Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures • Facilitate a Police investigation; • Make the site safe or to minimise the risk of a further 'notifiable incident'; • Follow direction given either in person or by telephone by a WorkCover officer. Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Good to Great e-Learning Module Death Procedures Incident Report Form The Incident Report Form is completed by a support worker and the manager who was notified at the time of the person's death.