Sequence of embalming

Preparation Room definition

• Area where the deceased is dressed, embalmed, cared for, or cosmetics is performed.

In the preparation room, you should always have what on? (this is the first step)

• PPE

What are two things you need to check after you put on your PPE?

• Verify identity of the deceased

• Verify permission from families if the deceased can be embalmed

What needs to be done before transferring the deceased to the table?

• Spray table with disinfectant

• Keep their face covered

After transferring the body to the table, what is next?

• Remove their clothing

What do you do with the clothes of the deceased?

Check with the families if they want the clothes back, if they don’t want them back, DESTROY THEM!

Case Analysis definition

• Analyzing the body before, during, and after the embalming procedure.

An example of Case Analysis is looking for signs of insects (more in summer months). Why are these signs important?

• Fly eggs hatch into larva (maggots)

• 24 hrs = eat embalmed flesh and needs to be removed

Pre-Embalming Analysis definition

• Overall condition of the body

What are things to look for in a Pre-Embalming Analysis?

• Cause of death/Diseases/Trauma

• Age/Sex

• Weight, Height, other features

• Discolorations (blood)

• Signs of decomposition, edema, dehydration, bruises, etc.

What are the 4 steps of Primary Disinfection?

1. Use droplet spray to disinfect body

2. Bathe body

3. Wash hair

4. Relieve rigor mortis

Why do you need to disinfect the body before the embalming process?

• Remove discolorations on the skin

• Reposition hair before the scalp firms

How do you relieve Rigor Mortis? (FERM)

• Flexing

• Extending

• Rotation

• Massaging (manipulate)

How do you position the body?

• Center of the table

• If deceased is tall = bend their knees

How do you position the head?

• Use positioning device to elevate the head

• Not chin in neck or looking straight up

• If needed, elevate the shoulders

How do you position the hands?

• Ask the family, clergy, or employer how they want to position the hands

• Hands can be left over right or right over left

You are only allowed to shave the face of deceased with the permission of who?

• The family!

7 steps of shaving the face of the deceased:

1. Apply warm water to face and shaving cream

2. With a sharp razor, start at left side of face (near ear)

3. Shave in direction of hair growth (small/short strokes)

4. Frequently clean razor

5. Use washcloth to pull the skin taut under jaw

6. Wash the face

7. Apply massage cream to retain moisture during embalming

After shaving, what should be done next?

• Swab mouth, nose, and eyes with disinfectant

How do you close the eyes?

• Use eye caps! (careful of dehydration)

• No eyelid overlap; should be lower 1/3 of eye

How do you close the mouth?

• Mouth former

• Needle injector/driver or suture

• Dentures = put in mouth before closing

Before closing the mouth, what 3 procedures need to be taken?

1. Relieve rigor mortis

2. Swab mouth with disinfectant

3. Observe natural bite

What are the 3 suturing methods of mouth closuring?

• Musculature

• Nasal/frenulum (sublingual)

• Nasal mandibular

What are methods of closing the lips? (at least 2 examples)

• Glue

• Wax

• Massage cream

• 5 arcs

When making an incision to raise the selected vessels, what location should you cut into?

• Supraclavicular

What are some instruments you can use to raise the arteries and veins? (at least 2 examples)

• Scalpel

• Scissors

• Canula

• Aneurysm hooks

• Ligature

When raising the vessels, sometimes you should adjust the ______, which can impact feature settings.

Head

The 3 steps of preparing for injection are:

1. Put drainage in vein

2. Look at machine pressure/rate of flow

3. Put arterial tube in artery

After injection, you need to observe the fluid ______ and ______

Distribution; Diffusion

What are signs to look for when injecting the deceased?

• Color change

• Loose/firm skin

• Areas with no fluid (choose other artery)

Disinfection during the embalming process and the last step of injection is called ________ _______.

Concurrent Disinfection

What is the procedure for Cavity Embalming? (6 steps)

1. Drain out cavities

2. Remove arterial tube and drainage

3. Run water through the machine

4. Close openings/wounds

5. Finish draining

6. Inject cavity fluid (trocar button)

After bathing the body and hair, what else should be cleaned?

• Clean underneath the body and table

If female, how should the hair be styled?

• Comb the hair and fluff it

What else should be done after styling the hair?

• Finish rinsing the machine

What needs to be dried after rinsing the machine?

• Dry body and machine

• Move the body to dressing table (reposition hands/head)

• Pack nasal cavity

Where do you apply the massage cream?

• Face and hands

How should the body be covered after disinfection?

• Cover body from neck down with sheet

3 things that need to be done to clean the Embalming room?

1. Disinfect instruments

2. Clean embalming/dressing tables and supports

3. Mop the floor

What needs to be done before leaving the Embalming room?

• Complete embalming report

• Copy is left with the deceased

What should you always do before attempting restorative work on prognathism?

• Ask the family!

What is a non-invasive method to address protruding teeth?

• Pull lips over teeth

What is one method used to keep the lips in place over the teeth?

• Gluing over teeth

What must be obtained before performing any restorative procedure?

• Written permission for restoration

Prognathism

• Protruding teeth

What method can help keep lips closed over protruding teeth?

• Suture lips over teeth

What are 2 things embalmers should not do when dealing with protruding teeth?

• Loosen or extract teeth