[Natural and unnatural death: assessment of the manner of death by nursing home physicians and notification to the medical examiner].

Authors :: Das C
Slootweg-van de Craats JG
Pot AM
Source :: Tijdschrift voor gerontologie en geriatrie [Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr] 2003 Apr; Vol. 34 (2), pp. 60-4.
Publication Year :: 2003
Abstract: The assessment of the manner of death by physicians is often a problem due to unclear regulations on this point. By means of a questionnaire we investigated how 40 nursing home physicians assess the manner of death in 14 different hypothetic cases and whether the physicians should report the case to the medical examiner if confronted with similar cases in practice. Some cases of unnatural death would not be reported. Especially in cases of death after a collum fracture the law and medical practice diverge. The reasons to report or not to the medical examiner were also investigated. Death fitting in the 'descending line of life' was most mentioned.

Subjects :: Aged
Coroners and Medical Examiners standards
Disclosure
Female
Humans
Interdisciplinary Communication
Male
Netherlands
Nursing Homes statistics & numerical data
Physician's Role
Physicians ethics
Physicians psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Cause of Death
Homes for the Aged statistics & numerical data
Physicians standards

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