During postmortem care, the patient's family says that the patient didn't have his dentures to place in his mouth. Which action should the nurse take at this time?
a. Place a rolled-up towel under the patient's chin.
b. Stuff the mouth with cotton to maintain the facial contour.
c. Tell the family to take the dentures to the funeral home.
d. Ask the family what they want to do about this situation.
A
If there are no dentures to place in the mouth after death, a rolled-up towel will help keep the patient's mouth positioned appropriately. Cotton is not used by the nurse to maintain the patient's mouth position. The dentures are easiest to place in the mouth immediately after death. It could be hours to several days until the patient's body is taken to the funeral home, depending on whether an autopsy is done or not. The nurse should know what to implement regarding this situation.
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