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Bereavement

What will be the date of death?

(61 Posts)
M0nica Wed 05-Apr-23 14:20:30

It is even more complicated if you are donating organs. My sister was verified as brain dead on a Friday, but as we were donating organs, she had to be on life support after that for 2 days before the organs were taken - which meant her organs were harvested and the death certificate issued on the Sunday, 2 days after she actually died.

pandapatch Wed 05-Apr-23 14:19:27

dustyangel, we too never knew the exact day of my son's death, also over a bank holiday weekend, and it did matter to me (but not my husband). So I decided the date that seemed most likely to me, and that I felt in my heart was right.
Thinking of you x

HurdyGurdy Wed 05-Apr-23 13:07:27

Thank you - and for sharing your sad stories, especially dustyangel.

My sister in law is local (we are 200 miles away), so she will no doubt be able to update my husband later today.

Vintagenonna Wed 05-Apr-23 11:42:46

dustyangel

How very, very sad.

Warm thoughts.

dustyangel Wed 05-Apr-23 11:36:47

For various reasons we never knew the exact day or even month of my son’s death, it was over a bank holiday weekend.
It does matter.

Daddima Wed 05-Apr-23 11:27:28

When the Bodach was deteriorating at home over Christmas, my GP left me a box containing prescription drugs for injection ( for district nurses). He also left a Certificate of Expected Death, which could apparently be filled in by the nurses. I had never heard of such a thing.
None of it was necessary, as he was admitted to hospital.

Oopsadaisy1 Wed 05-Apr-23 11:12:09

My BIL died before midnight in hospital but the Doctor didn’t get to the ward until 12.30 so he was declared dead the day after he actually died.
My SIL was very upset as she was with him when he died, to her the wrong date went on the death certificate.

Bea65 Wed 05-Apr-23 11:11:34

My late Mom died at 4:05 am in hospital but there was no certifiable nurse or a dr or a locum to verify the time so at 7:10 a nurse came into the room to certify the death at 7:10 - I stated this is incorrect as she passed at 4:05 and ive stayed with her...it mattered to me as i know it would have mattered to Mom...i was disgusted at the time that in a major hospital no-one seemed bothered to come at the time of deathsad my sister who lives hours away said the same..it matters!

ExDancer Wed 05-Apr-23 11:05:25

So does that mean she died on the 5th Mini? I can't think it matters much, but in, say, an Agatha Christi novel with a complicated plot about a will and inheritance it might be crutial?
Sorry for your loss HurdyGurdy its an upsetting time, even if we're expecting it. flowers

MiniMoon Wed 05-Apr-23 10:55:34

Where I worked, in a private nursing home, all the nurses were able to verify death, if death occurred late at night or at the weekend.
The date of verification was used when the GP came to certify death.
We wrote everything into the Resident's care plan for the Doctor to read.
I retired 10 years ago, so am not up to date with current policies.

HurdyGurdy Wed 05-Apr-23 08:56:50

My dear mother in law died last night. She was in a care home, and was found to have died in her sleep at a late night check by the staff. This was around 11.30pm

The doctor who would declare death wouldn't have visited until after midnight.

What would the date of death be? When the staff found her (not breathing and unresponsive) on 4th April, or when the doctor declares death on 5th April?

I don't think it will matter either way, but it's the one thing that my husband has latched onto, and seems worried about.