A nurse is caring for a client who has a prescription for warfarin.

Which of the following laboratory tests should the nurse monitor?

Verify that the provider has certified the client's death: Before any postmortem care is initiated, it's crucial to confirm that the client has indeed passed away. This verification is typically done by a healthcare provider, such as a physician or nurse practitioner, who examines the client, checks for signs of life, and makes an official declaration of death.

Determine the family's preferences about care of the body: After the client's death has been certified, the healthcare team should communicate with the family or next of kin to inquire about their preferences regarding the care of the deceased. Families may have specific cultural, religious, or personal requests regarding postmortem care procedures, and it's essential to respect and accommodate these preferences whenever possible.

Remove all equipment and tubes from the client's body: This step involves the removal of any medical equipment, devices, or tubes that may have been in use during the client's medical care. This can include items such as intravenous (IV) lines, catheters, ventilator tubing, and monitoring equipment. Ensuring that all equipment is removed is not only a matter of dignity but also helps prepare the body for viewing by the family, if desired.

Apply identifying name tags onto the client .To maintain accurate identification and tracking of the deceased client, it's common practice to attach identifying name tags or labels to the body. These tags typically contain essential information, such as the client's name, medical record number, and date of birth. This step helps prevent any confusion or mix-up of identities during postmortem procedures and transport.

Choice A Reason:

The cause of death is determined and documented by the physician or medical examiner, not the nurse. Including this in the postmortem documentation by the nurse would be inappropriate as it is not within the nurse's scope of practice to make this determination.

Choice B Reason:

While the nurse may document the last set of vital signs before death, this is typically recorded in the patient's medical record at the time the vital signs are taken, not specifically in postmortem documentation. The focus of postmortem documentation is on the events and conditions after the death has been confirmed.

Choice C Reason:

The location of the identification tag is crucial in postmortem documentation to ensure proper identification of the deceased. This information helps in maintaining the integrity and identification of the body during transportation and handling by the mortuary or funeral home.

Choice D Reason:

Advance directives are part of the client's medical record and are used to guide care decisions while the client is alive. They are not typically included in postmortem documentation, as they pertain to the client's wishes regarding treatment prior to death, not after. The original documents should remain in the client's file.