1.2.14 Dealing with the estate

1 Purpose and objective

Securing the estate of a deceased patient. Relief for the nursing staff. Storage until collection. Complete handover to the authorised persons

2 Scope of application

Applies to the entire nursing area and the Institutes of Pathology and Forensic Medicine

3 Description of the procedure

3.1 Regulations for wards and the Institutes of Pathology and Forensic Medicine

In the event of a death, the entire estate at the bedside must be recorded immediately by the nursing staff on duty in the "estate register". The wards keep a form book for this purpose, which is provided by the .

All items of clothing, objects and valuables belonging to the deceased must be recorded individually in the form book. The completeness and accuracy of the entries must be confirmed on the ward by the signatures of the nurse in charge of the shift and another member of the HOSPITAL staff. The signatures must be legible (if necessary by repeating them in block letters).

Valuables and money worth more than € 1,000 must always be handed over to the for safekeeping without delay, together with a copy of the statement in a large, firmly sealed envelope labelled with the patient's label and the ward number. Items of clothing and other items (not valuables) that cannot be given to the next of kin must be given to the together with a copy of the statement.

The responsible administrative staff of the or the must acknowledge receipt of the items.
If items can be handed over at short notice to the deceased's next of kin or to a funeral parlour with appropriate authorisation, the recipients must check that they are complete and sign the list, stating their name and address. The list must be filed in the medical file.

This regulation also applies to valuables and money up to a value of € 100. If items of clothing or similar remain with the corpse in accordance with the procedural instructions "Procedure with patients who have died in the HOSPITAL", the employees of the Institute of Pathology - and if applicable also the employees of the KTZ - must sign a receipt stating their name and department.

3.2 Regulation for <payment office and office for civil registry matters

The objects of the estate shall only be handed over to:

• a) sole heirs designated by certificate of inheritance
• b) to all co-heirs identified by the certificate of inheritance jointly or to a co-heir identified by the certificate of inheritance who is authorised by the other heirs to accept the items of the estate
• c) the executor of the will designated by the certificate of executorship
• d) the curator of the estate in accordance with the certificate of appointment, whose details are to be checked for validity in case of doubt by making enquiries at the probate court.

Without presentation of a certificate of inheritance, cash payments may be made to the funeral director for the funeral costs evidenced by presentation of an invoice, but only up to a maximum of € 3,000 and only if the written declaration of consent of the client for payment to the funeral director has been received.

4 Documentation

The list of items given to relatives must be labelled with the name and address and filed in the medical file.

• Estate book
• Custody

5 Responsibilities

- Wards - Forensic Medicine - Institute of Pathology

6 Notes and comments

A safe custody receipt must always be completed, even if no valuables are being carried (as proof) Patient property should be handed over to relatives as soon as possible against signature.

7 Applicable documents

• Literature, regulations

8 Terms

9 Systems

Estate book
Custody