New

Decedent Care Representative

Duke Clinical Research Institute
United States, North Carolina, Durham
300 West Morgan Street (Show on map)
Dec 13, 2025
At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together. About Duke University Hospital Pursue your passion for caring with Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, which is consistently ranked among the best in the United States. The largest of Duke Health's four hospitals with 1062 patient beds, it features comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center, an endo-surgery center, and more. Work Week: Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm General Description of the Job Class Perform a variety of duties to assist families and staff regarding the disposition of all matters of decedent care. Assist pathologist with autopsy procedures. Duties and Responsibilities of this Level Coordinate with physicians and nurses to determine the appropriate time to approach the family regarding the disposition of all matters of decedent care. Meet with next of kin, and assist in completing all necessary paperwork. Arrange for body viewing as appropriate. Screen all deaths for medical examiner's jurisdiction in compliance with the state law. Request autopsy consent on all non-medical legal deaths. Complete all appropriate decedent care paperwork (i.e. all forms, documents and authorizations), in compliance with state and federal laws. Provide autopsy information to family members, medical and research personnel and others in compliance with departmental guidelines. Act as primary liaison between Duke Hospital and funeral homes. Provide information to funeral homes, transporters, patient families, staff and security officers regarding decedent care and the hospital death policy. Release body to funeral home. Transport body, chart, and unclaimed belongs to the morgue. Store and maintain body in cooler. Assist pathologist with the autopsy procedures. Mix and prepare preservative solutions as required. Perform incisions, evisceration of body and special dissection techniques. File, store, and retrieve tissue specimens. Assist with disposal of tissue. Inform appropriate organ banks or anatomy department if consent for tissue donations was obtained. Assist the various tissue and organ banks by requesting all tissue donations at one time. Maintain instruments and supplies. Clean, disinfect all suites, instruments and equipment. Perform other duties to maintain supplies and equipment. Maintain mortuary records and autopsy record logs. Assist in training and scheduling lower level employees. Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein. Required Qualifications at this Level Education Work requires knowledge of basic mortuary science and communications principles normally acquired through two years of post-secondary education. Experience Three years related experience to acquire necessary skills. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification N/A Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities MAINTAIN INVENTORY LAB PROCEDURES STERILE TECHNIQUE Distinguishing Characteristics of this Level N/A Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status. Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values. Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.