Death verification & certification

Question 1

What are the steps in verifying death?

Answer 1

1. Pupillary response to light - 30 seconds
2. Carotid pulse - 60 seconds
3. Breath sounds (anterior and axillae both sides) - 4 x 15 seconds
4. Heart sounds in all auscultation points - 4 x 15 seconds

Question 2

Who can fill in a patient’s death certificate?

Answer 2

1. Doctor who attended patient during their last illness
2. Doctor who knows the cause of death
3. Doctor who has seen the patient within last 14 days before death

Question 3

When should coroner’s referral be made?

Answer 3

1. Patient not seen by doctor withinin the last 14 days before death
2. Cause of death unknown
3. Death was violent or unnatural or was suspicious
4. Death may have been due to an accident (regardless of when it occurred)
5. Death was due to self-neglect or neglect by others
6. Death was due to industrial disease or related to the employment
7. Death may have been to abortion
8. Death occurred during an operation or before recovery from the effects of anaesthetics
9. Death may have been due to suicide
10. Death occured during or shortly after detention in police or prison custody