Georgia State Board of Funeral Service Practice Exam 2025 - Free Funeral Service Practice Questions and Study Guide

In Georgia, if no physician is present, a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) employed by the hospice can make the pronouncement of death for hospice patients. This is based on the understanding that RNs have the necessary training and expertise to assess the condition of the patient. They are equipped to recognize the signs of death and to complete the required documentation, which is crucial for both medical and legal purposes. The scope of practice for RNs allows them to perform this function within the hospice care environment, contributing to a compassionate and respectful end-of-life experience.

While family members might provide vital emotional support and may also have insights into the patient's condition, they do not have the clinical qualifications necessary for making such a formal pronouncement. The local coroner typically becomes involved in cases where there may be legal implications regarding the cause of death, but they do not perform pronouncements in a hospice setting unless required to investigate the circumstances surrounding a death. Furthermore, only a physician is generally expected to pronounce death under normal circumstances, but their physical presence is not always required in hospice care when RNs are legally authorized to fulfill this role.