Cold Hands Embalming Tip of the Week

We are excited to collaborate with Cold Hands and Monica Torres, renowned licensed funeral director, embalmer, cremationist, cosmetic reconstructive specialist, desairologist, and owner/founder of NXT Generation Mortuary Support! Every week Connecting Directors will now share “Cold Hands Embalming Tip of the Week,” which Monica posts each Sunday afternoon to her Instagram channel @coldhandshosts.

Cold Hands Embalming Tip of the Week: Get positioning right by utilizing a body block

To avoid “stargazing,” place the shoulder block directly below the shoulder blades to get positioning of the head just right.

First, gently place your hand on the back of the neck in a scooping position. Secondly, tighten your own stomach and back muscles then lift with your arm. With your other hand slide the body block under the shoulders. Place a head block on top of another body block and cradle the neck in the head block for stability. Move to the head of the slab then place both hands on the sides of the decedents face and gently position the nose in alignment with the right foot. I aim for the big toe while pointing downward towards the toes. 

I find this positioning useful in many instances such as…

–oversized decedents,

–ship-outs,

–decedents who have died with their neck extended,

and many more! 

Hope you like this week’s tip! Until next week, Happy Embalming!

Deathcare professionals: To gain online support for the embalming tips, visit Cold Hands Answers at
https://www.nxtgenmortuarysupport.com/product/cold-hands-answers-morticians/.

NXT Generation Mortuary Support offers ongoing online continuing education opportunities for deathcare professionals! Next up is Embalming the Infant Death – Advanced Techniques for Infants, Stillborn and the Unborn on May 6, 2021, for which you may register here.