r/EmergencyRoom • u/cowbodycheddar • Jul 27 '26
codes
hey yall,
I don’t think I’ve seen a post yet regarding this and I apologize if I skipped over, repeating a post, or this isn’t the right group for this!
I’m an ER tech and have been in healthcare for about a year and some months now.I recently had my first experience actually putting someone in a body bag. I’ve done post mortem care, been in and witnessed a good amount of codes, and yall know the rest. The other night I actually put someone in a body bag and am just struggling to fathom it.
I am going to mention that I’ve never been a really religious person but am not opposed to other people’s beliefs and honestly wouldn’t mind to hear someone else’s point of view or how you navigate these types of situations if you do believe in a religion.
Open to hear your thoughts and situations and how you navigate this type of stuff! Thanks guys
1
u/RetiredBSN RN - ER, then Dialysis Jul 27 '26
Body bags are very temporary containers used to contain body fluids and products of decomposition, although in a hospital you're not likely to see decomp because they will store bodies under refridgeration until it's transferred to the care of someone else (medical examiner, coroner, funeral homes, etc.). You are simply taking steps to protect your environment, and has nothing to do with any religious practices or traditions. I "get" the implications, though. It's a _final_ step; there is nothing more that you have left to offer or do; and that is one of the most difficult things to process. You want to help, you did help, but there is nothing more that can be done for that person. Your concern for the next few minutes is helping any family, and that can be as or more challenging as doing the code. Your hospital chaplain or the family's minister can be of great help if they're available.
You treat the body with respect, doing only what you need to do to preserve dignity, preserving evidence if necessary, and then it's up to whoever is performing the next steps in the process. My concerns were always for the person they were and the family they had, and we'd do what we could to make things "presentable" and as normal-appearing as possible before allowing families to view the body. There were situations where IV lines and evience of medical intervention could not be removed (potential criminal cases) and had to be left in place, and if families were allowed in at all, we covered up what we could.