Case study:

11 May 2010

Verification of an adult expected death by registered nurses - training programme in Derby University

Key points

Derby University now runs a twice-yearly training programme to enable registered nurses to verify an expected adult death within the community.

The programme, an accredited day course, is aimed at staff across differing disciplines including district nursing, day, evening and night services, Marie Curie and the local hospice.

It is always well attended by nurses from both the NHS and private sector.

It was developed by Derby PCT’s end of life care facilitator together with the Macmillan GP facilitator, university health faculty representatives and lead nurses from the local hospice and Marie Curie service.

The PCT has now taken responsibility for an annual evaluation of the service.

As the patients whose deaths will be verified in this way are on the Liverpool integrated care pathway, the pathway has been modified to allow GPs to consent to nurse verification.