Welcome back mental health warriors! I didn't write yesterday, sorry about that! Had quite the day! I had a call and while on it I slipped on the ice and landed in dog doodoo! It was quite the humbling experience. I've had some requests to explain what it's like being on call 24/7 for mortuary transport/medical examiner/body removals so I think I'm going to go through that step by step for you today!
I have a pink tote in my closet that I keep all of my black scrubs and long underwear/thermal wear in. As you know, I'm in Northern Michigan and some of these calls can get quite cold so I always double layer a thermal suit under my scrubs. Yesterday afternoon I got a call on our hotline and the decedents name and address of location is sent to me in an app. I drop everything I'm doing, use the bathroom one last time as I know it will be awhile before I can go again and change into my scrubs. Doesn't matter if I'm showered, sweaty, makeup or not, I must leave right away. I log the address into my google maps and give an estimated time of arrival. I always fill up a water bottle before leaving.
I stuff my pockets with PPE such as gloves and facemasks. There are full garment PPE/hazmat suits and boot covers in our vehicles if needed. I usually listen to happy upbeat music on the way there and say a prayer as I'm getting closer. Usually the prayer goes something like,
"Dear God, please give me the emotional and physical strength to help the best I can in this situation. Please keep my heart light and calm. Allow others to see me as a guiding light and help as I arrive. Please bless the soul of the departed and guide them home and take care of the grieving family.".
When I pull up, I wave to the medical examiner investigator and police on scene to let them know I am expected and not just a random person pulling up. I take the keys out and put them in my pocket (I never want to be locked out of a vehicle!) I don my PPE and get out of the vehicle and usually address the medical examiner investigator first since it's their scene. I'm not there to interact with the family or anyone else, I say as little as possible except for directions on how we are going to move the body and gurney and get my job done as safely as possible for everyone. Sometimes the body is bagged already and sometimes I have to help with that procedure. The scenario is honestly different every single time. There's always a new maze to wind my equipment through and sometimes I need to use the back board to move the body and sometimes I am able to put them carefully and respectfully onto the gurney directly. It usually takes about 20 minutes on scene.
Before I leave the scene, I call the nursing supervisor at the hospital advising them I have a drop off coming for the morgue. I punch the address of the hospital in and make sure the gurney and body are secure and safely arranged in the vehicle with respect. I usually say another little prayer and sometimes say things like, "I hope it's ok I'm listening to some music!" or something like that. I get to the parking garage and use a special access key to get in. Upon arrival I fill out paper work and get ready to don PPE once again for entrance into the hospital and morgue. It takes a lot of strength and practice to remove the gurney safely from the vehicle especially since I no longer have the first responders there to help me.
I go up to the morgue with my paper work and a morgue tech type person meets with me sometimes right away and sometimes I wait up to a half hour or so. When I get back down to my vehicle, I make sure everything is cleaned up and put away nicely and organized. I finish my paperwork and snap a photo to send to our dispatch notifying that the call is done. I leave the hospital and come home and usually throw my scrubs in the wash and shower (especially after falling on the ice yesterday and landing in dog poop!)
What other questions to you guys have for me? See you back here tomorrow!
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