The Ritual: Death Pronouncement

BACKGROUND: Death pronouncement comes infrequently for the pediatrician. The place of death for most children is in the hospital. For hospitalists and pediatric intensivists in the neonatal intensive care or pediatric intensive care units, death pronouncement is not uncommon. For hospitalist physicians, the call to attend a code or to pronounce a death may come on any given shift and from almost anywhere in the hospital. CONCLUSION: A demonstrative case is provided, followed by key concepts for practice and for educating trainees. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011;6:94-97. (C) 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine.