When an infant expires in the NICU, the physician must pronounce the infant’s death, write or dictate a death note, and fill out the Death Certificate. The bereavement office should be notified of the infant’s passing.

The family should be allowed to spend as much time as possible with the infant during the demise as well as with the infant’s body after death. A family room should be made available, if possible. The infant’s nurse can assist the parents by taking photographs and accumulating memoirs desired by the parents.

At an appropriate time, the physician should discuss the possibility of autopsy as well as the disposition of the baby’s body with the parents. There is no rush to obtain autopsy consent except in the case of organ biopsies, which must be obtained within 30 minutes to 1 hour after death. Should the parents need more time to decide about autopsy or disposition, the infant’s body can be kept in the morgue until the parents have considered their options or until other family members can arrive to view the infant.

Tennessee Donor Services is notified of all in-hospital deaths. In the rare instance the deceased infant may qualify as an organ donor, TDS representatives will assist the physician in discussing organ donation with the parents.

For parents who are indigent and have no resources for burial, social work can assist parents in exploring their options. Vanderbilt does provide a group cremation service for stillborns and deceased neonates to families. Parents may request that the ashes be returned to them or buried in a group burial with the other lost babies.

The physician must complete a two-page form outlining request or denial for autopsy and instructions for the disposition of the body, which must be signed by the parents. The name of the Funeral Home must be obtained to release the body from the hospital morgue. The parents are allowed to transport their infant’s body after obtaining special forms from admitting.

The deceased infant’s attending physician should send condolences to the family and offer to answer any questions that might arise at a later date. In the event of an autopsy, a formal meeting should be arranged with the parents to discuss autopsy results, review the infant’s death, and assist the parents in their grieving process.

If questions arise, contact with any of the following individuals may be informative:

Bereavement Office

Social-work On Call

The Case Manager

The Nurse Manager on Duty

Most recently discussed at the Clinical Division Meeting 7/16/01.