Coronavirus — End of Life Considerations — Clinical Pathway

COVID-19 End of Life Considerations
Care of the Deceased Patient with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19
Physician Considerations/ Documentation	Send COVID testing prior to transport to ME No death certificate is required for ME cases per usual pathway For non-ME cases, death certificate should be filled out electronically: Pennsylvania Department of Health
Body Preparation	Staff to remain in expanded PPE (N95 or PAPR) while performing post-mortem care (ETT should be clamped) Body should be double bagged (decontaminate inner bag with Oxivir and change gloves before placing outer bag) Affix toe tags to patient and to outer bag, label outer bag to indicate unknown COVID status
Body Transport	Standard precautions for staff are sufficient during transfer to morgue after double bagging is complete
Keepsakes	ED: Clean hands/feet with oxivir, continue to use sculpy mold, wipe again with oxivir, send home with family to be baked Inpatient: Complete accucast mold, complete to dry in room, wipe with oxivir prior to sending home with family

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The clinical pathways are based upon publicly available medical evidence and/or a consensus of medical practitioners at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (“CHOP”) and are current at the time of publication. These clinical pathways are intended to be a guide for practitioners and may need to be adapted for each specific patient based on the practitioner’s professional judgment, consideration of any unique circumstances, the needs of each patient and their family, and/or the availability of various resources at the health care institution where the patient is located.

Accordingly, these clinical pathways are not intended to constitute medical advice or treatment, or to create a doctor-patient relationship between/among The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (“CHOP”), its physicians and the individual patients in question. CHOP does not represent or warrant that the clinical pathways are in every respect accurate or complete, or that one or more of them apply to a particular patient or medical condition. CHOP is not responsible for any errors or omissions in the clinical pathways, or for any outcomes a patient might experience where a clinician consulted one or more such pathways in connection with providing care for that patient.