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Organise and conduct visitations of the deceased

URN: PPLFOS13
Business Sectors (Suites): Funeral Services
Developed by: People 1st
Approved on: 2022

Overview

This standard is about organising and conducting visitations of the deceased. It is about organising the facilities and location where the deceased will be visited and that the visits are conducted according to clients requirements.

This standard is for funeral directors, funeral director assistants, funeral operatives and arrangers.

When you have completed this standard you will be able to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to:

  • Organise and conduct visits to the deceased

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

1. agree visiting time, location and visitors that are authorised with the client 2. inform the client about your funeral business' procedures for visiting the deceased 3. clearly communicate and organise the arrangements and facilities for visiting to relevant personnel within your funeral business or the agreed location’s representative 4. follow your funeral businesses’ policies and procedures to establish and confirm the identity of the deceased and personal effects present before moving and positioning the deceased in a visiting room/location or chapel of rest 5. complete the preparation required to organise facilities and the visiting room/location ensuring it is available, clean and tidy, and appropriately lit 6. organise the transfer of the deceased to the visiting location and ensure safe lifting and handling techniques are used 7. use the correct equipment and materials safely whilst moving the deceased to the visiting location 8. complete your preparations so that the facilities and the deceased is ready and available for visiting at the agreed times 9. comply with the dress code and PPE required by your funeral business when conducting visits 10. check and confirm that the visitors are authorised to visit the deceased 11. follow clients and your funeral business’ requirements for keeping visitor records whilst conducting visits to the deceased 12. take appropriate action to manage visits where family conflict is anticipated 13. check and confirm that the deceased is the correct person to be visited 14. respect the dignity of the visitors and the deceased whilst conducting visits 15. respect client requirements arising from religious customs or other beliefs at all times 16. seek authority from the client when requests from visitors are outside of their specification 17. escort visitors during the visitation, when this is required 18. check personal effects and record any additional or missing items and action according to your funeral business’s policies and procedures 

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

1. the factors to consider when organising visiting times and locations and the need to communicate them to all visitors 2. how to communicate visiting procedures to visitors prior to them visiting the deceased 3. the importance of organising facilities and communicating with location representatives when visits are not conducted on your funeral business' premises 4. the process for and importance of identifying the deceased and personal effects present before moving them to the designated location for visits 5. how to complete the preparation checks to ensure the visiting room is available, clean and tidy, and appropriately lit prior to the visit 6. how to organise and monitor the transfer of the deceased to the visiting location 7. what safe lifting, handling and moving techniques to use when handling the deceased 8. the types of equipment and materials required to move and transfer the deceased 9. the final checks that need to be carried out so that the facilities and the deceased are ready for visitation at the agreed time and location 10. your business’ requirements for codes of dress and PPE requirements when conducting visits 11. how to confirm visitors are authorised to visit the deceased 12. your funeral business’ requirements for keeping visitor records 13. ways to respect the dignity of the visitors and the deceased whilst conducting visits 14. how to adhere to requirements arising from religious customs or other beliefs 15. what to do when visitors make requests outside of the clients specifications 16. the importance for escorting visitors when requested by visitors 17. the importance of checking personal effects and recording any additional or missing items and action according to your funeral business’s policies and procedures 

Scope/range

When preparing the visit location for visitors, you must show that you can achieve the outcome when dealing with each of the following:

1. Facilities:
1.1. lighting
1.2. music
1.3. floral tributes
1.4. furniture
1.5. items specially requested by the client

2. Location:
2.1. internal premises
2.2. external premises

When conducting visits, you must show that you can achieve the outcome when dealing with each of the following:

1. Visitors:
1.1. related to the deceased
1.2. unrelated to the deceased

Scope Performance

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

Skills

Glossary

Links To Other NOS

​The standards in the funeral operations suite should be complemented by pan-sector standards such as working relationships, business, administration and resource management, as well as any other specific requirements of the employer.

External Links

Version Number

2

Indicative Review Date

2027

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

People 1st International Ltd

Original URN

PPLFOS13

Relevant Occupations

Funeral Director, Funeral Director’s Assistant, Funeral Services Attendant, Funeral Services Operative, Funeral Arranger

SOC Code

6138

Keywords

Funeral; funereal; visit; view; deceased