Job Objective/Purpose
To provide safe, dignified, and compliant mortuary services by receiving, documenting, preserving, and preparing bodies for viewing/release, supporting post-mortem processes where required, maintaining mortuary hygiene and cold-room integrity, and ensuring strict adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC), legal/chain-of-custody requirements, and hospital policies and procedures.
Key Responsibilities
Receipt, Identification, Storage & Chain of Custody
Receive bodies from wards, casualty, external facilities, police, and the public, ensuring respectful handling and adherence to standard mortuary procedures.
Confirm identity details (tags/labels, accompanying documentation) and correctly label the body and storage location to maintain traceability.
Place bodies appropriately in cold storage, ensuring correct positioning, labeling, and preservation measures as per SOPs.
Maintain and update mortuary registers (receipt, movements, and release) and ensure all required documentation is complete before any release.
Identify and escalate medico-legal cases and ensure controlled access and chain-of-custody requirements are maintained for such cases.
Post-mortem and Related Processes
Assist in post-mortem processes as assigned (e.g., preparing the post-mortem area, ensuring instruments/equipment readiness, safe handling and movement of bodies) and ensure bodies are appropriately cleaned/prepared and returned to cold storage or released as per documentation and instructions.
Prepare bodies for viewing and/or release in accordance with SOPs and cultural sensitivity, including washing, dressing, shrouding/wrapping, and basic presentation (including embalming where required and when appropriately trained/authorized) following approved protocols, safety standards, and documentation requirements.
Release bodies only to authorized relatives/ representatives/ police after verifying identity, legal authorization, and completeness of documentation.
Provide courteous, calm, and professional support to bereaved families, maintaining confidentiality, dignity, and respect at all times and guide families/representatives on mortuary processes, timelines, and requirements in line with hospital policy.
Infection Prevention & Control (IPC), Cleanliness & Safety
Maintain a clean mortuary environment through routine cleaning, disinfection, and decontamination, while adhering to strict safety and hygiene protocols when handling hazardous substances, including PPE use, spill response, and segregation/ disposal of biohazard waste (including sharps) per policy.
Monitor and record cold-room temperatures (and any other required parameters) as per SOPs and escalate deviations promptly to protect preservation and service continuity.
Ensure mortuary equipment (trolleys, stretchers, cold-room racks, PPE, cleaning materials) is serviceable and safely used; report faults for timely repair.
Financial Stewardship, Billing Integrity and Resource Utilization
Deliver unit financial performance through cost control and resource optimization without compromising care quality.
Ensure timely and accurate billing, charge capture, documentation to support billing, and reduction of revenue leakage; monitor variances and address root causes.
Support inventory control for mortuary consumables (mortuary sheets, disinfectants, PPE, tags/labels), including reorder alerts and expiry checks.
Professional Conduct & Other Duties
Maintain a courteous, compassionate, and professional approach while preserving privacy, dignity, and confidentiality; Manage anxious or difficult patients calmly, escalating where necessary for support.
Participate in handovers, departmental meetings, mentorship, and training of students/new staff as assigned.
Ensure that Avenue Healthcare corporate governance policies are adhered to, including preventing, detecting, and reporting any fraud or criminal activities, and Implementing audit recommendations.
Ensure adequate knowledge of and compliance to all Avenue Healthcare policies, procedures, and systems, especially policies pertaining to the provision of medical services i.e. Admission & discharge, equipment and supplies, emergency protocols, etc.
Perform any other related responsibilities as may be assigned by the supervisor from time to time.
Person Specification
Diploma in Mortuary Science, Mortuary Management, or related training
A valid Mortician Kenya Health Professional Oversight Authority license
2 years' Experience working in a hospital mortuary or funeral services environment
Knowledge of biosafety and specimen handling requirements.
Integrity
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Attention to detail
Result Oriented
Customer focus
Reliable