this slides will take you to how we plan for a morturay in a tertiary care hospital.

1. Mortuary Services
• Aakash Simon (0699)
• Aastha Bedi (0700)
• Ashima Gabgotra (0723)
• Chandana Jadav (0734)
• Divya Chauhan (0744)
• GVVS Varun (0748)
• Hetarth Dalia (0749)
• Manisha Garg (0769)
BY

2. Introduction
• Mortuary- it’s a place where dead bodies are kept before
burial/cremation
• Morgue- its place where dead bodies are kept in the
refrigerated body store and examined in the post mortem
room
• The mortuaries have long been neglected and are
generally located in a far-off isolated corner of the
hospital with primitive facilities for body preservation and
autopsy. Instead of becoming a pulsating enquiry center
of modern medicine, it has remained a dead house.
• The concept of health of the population from "womb to
tomb" in the community health care clearly indicates that
in a health care set up, a doctor's duty is not only caring
for the living but also in helping to arrange for the
disposal of those patients who die. However, many of our
heath care professionals are less adopted at this duty.

3. Importance of Mortuary
• Lots of sentiments value are attached to the dead body of the person with socio
and medico legal importance attached to the mortuary of the hospital.
• it becomes essential for hospital administration that suitable provision shall be
made in an obscure place where the deceased can be placed, pending final
disposal or to rule out the cause of death.
• A carefully planned mortuary complex is of great benefit to all those who come in
contact with it. i.e police, doctors, medical students, staffs and relatives of
deceased.
• Provision of mortuary facilities and services in a hospital also has an important
bearings in terms of public relation of the hospital.

4. Location
• Sanjeevani Hospital, Jagatpura, Jaipur
• 10kms (towards city) from Government Hospital
• A separate building, near the department of
pathology and Emergency Department

5. Planning
• Mortuary Block
• Distance from department:- 100 Mtr
• Size:- 5200 sq.ft
• Cooling Cabinet
• Size:- 27’x 15’405 sq.ft
• Capacity:- 3 dead bodies

6. Layout

7. Physical Facilities

8. Reception and Waiting
Area
• The place where the body is received and documents are
verified and checked.
• Easily approachable and due care should be taken to shield if
from OPD/ward block areas of the hospital.
• Gently illuminated, warm and have comfortable chairs
• Pleasantly and soberly furnished and decorated with plants and
pictures, which would create a pleasant atmosphere, as the last
impression of the relatives receiving the deceased is one of quite
dignity in death
• The Hon'ble High Court as cited above has also directed for
provision of a waiting hall for attendants, police with provisions
for a central platform.

9. Cold Room and
Preservation Area
• The place where all the Dead bodies are kept
prior to post mortem/autopsy or cremation.
• The number of bodies to be accommodated
will depend upon the size and type of hospital
• It is essential, that the body racks should be
refrigerated, so that the putrefaction changes
are minimum and also to preserve the normal
appearance of the body.

10. Physical Facilities
• Floors: RCC , hard and durable ,easily washable, moisture proof and non-slippery
• Walls: Washable ; with dadoing and preferably of ceramic tiles
• Windows: natural day light used which provides adequate lighting in north side
• DOORS: wide enough for passage of portable x-ray, Preferably a sliding door
• Ceilings: not less than 12ft
• Corridors: wide enough for the passage of trolleys and width not less than 8ft
• Ventilation: Exhaust fans and at least 10 air changes per hour
• Heating: Convectors or heaters and a desirable temperature for work areas is 50-65◦F
• Fire detection ,fire alarm and fire fighting system

11. Staffing
• Specialist -2
• Medico-legal Doctor (Deputation)
• Post-mortem technician-1
• Post-mortem assistant-1
• Clerk-1
• Chowkidar-1
• Peon-1
• Sweeper/morgue attendants-5
• Photographer-1

12. Equipment
• Cold Chamber for maintenance
of temperature at +2/+4 degree
C
• Cold chambers for maintenance
of temperature at -15/25 degree
C
• Autopsy Table stainless steel
with sink -2
• Table ,chair, stools, file cabinets,
lockers
• Computer with printers
• Sterilizer 1
• Instrument cabinet 1
• Portable x-ray machine 1
• Spectrophotometer 1
• Fume chamber
• Weighing Machine (organs)-2
• Lens-2
• Spot light 1
• Measuring glasses(liquids)-2
• Gas liquid Chromatography
machine
• Post-mortem kit 2
• Bone forceps – 2
• Consumables provided as per need.

13. Policies and
Procedures

14. For MLC’s
• The consultants involved in patient care, on duty CMO and relatives are informed.
• Indoor case papers to be completed with details of terminal events.
• Death summary to be written (Mandatory)
• JMS on duty fills the Post Mortem Request (3 copies)
• Two Copies are handed over to CMO on duty & 3rd copy attached in indoor case paper
file.
• One copy to be handed over to police and other copy to relative of deceased.
• CMO informs the nearest police station & hands over the body to police for Panchnama
& Post – Mortem. Entry is made in the Casualty death register mentioning name of
police station with the tag number.
• On handing over the copies to the police the CMO must ensure that the police constable
/official counter signs towards receipt of the same in the Casualty Death Register
• Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is not issued in MLC death.
• Body should never be handed over to relatives of deceased.

15. Research Paper 1

16. Occupational Health Hazards Among Mortuary
Attendants at Ndola Teaching Hospital
Authors- Mercy Litana, Chishala Kapambwe
Published In- Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences
Year of Publication-2017

17. Background
• Just like employees from other occupations mortuary attendants are
exposed to various hazards that definitely put their health at risk as
they perform their job.
• Objective:
1. The aim of the study was to identify occupational health hazards
that the mortuary workers face at Ndola teaching Hospital.
2. To establish the infection control mechanisms that can be use.

18. Methodology
• Type of study : Descriptive cross
Sectional Study
Sample Size:12
Tool Used for Data Collection :
Questionnaire and Observation
Tool Used For Data Analysis : SPSS

19. Frequency 

21. Solutions to the problem
• Formulation and Implementation of proper SOP’s for the Mortuary
workers
• Providing them with proper training and PPE
• The mortuary attendants should be given vaccination to prevent
them from various infection
• Provision of adequate equipment and facilities by the hospital
• The mortuary workers should be given psychological counselling to
deal with stress they undergo.

22. Research Paper 2

23. Serious Incidents After Death: Content Analysis of incidents reported
Authors- Iain E Yardley, Androy Carson-Stevens and Liam J
Donaldson
Published in- Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
Year of Publication-2018

24. Background
• Hospitals have a responsibility to ensure the safety of patients and
this duty continues even after death. Strictly a dead person can not
be harmed and has to be given the same dignity and respect during
life.
• Objective- To describe serious incidents occurring in the management
of patient remains after their death.
• Sample Size- 132(these related to the storage, management or
disposal of deceased patients)

25. R
E
S
U
L
T

26. 1. Standardisation of workflows
2. Automation of procedure
Solutions