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: Test pressure and rate of flow PRIOR to injection
Some of the reasons I like to test pressure and rate of flow prior to injection are:
- Many embalming machines require the reservoir to be covered with water after use for storage. This can lead to improper mixing of embalming fluid if not enough time is given to the machine to fully mix on the mix cycle. Often times leftover water will pump out before arterial fluid makes its way into the hose and out of the cannula. This is especially important if I plan on embalming with the “waterless method” for hard cases.
- Testing pressure and flow prior to injection can also help a novice professional learn the intricacies of their personal machine. Learning to spot the perfect stream of pressure and flow by sight can help to avoid unnecessary swelling in unwanted areas such as the neck or eyes.
Pro Tip:
Adjust the pressure and flow to the lowest setting prior to turning on the machine. Run water prior to turning on the machine to help move fluid away from your work space. Point the cannula down the drain and away from your face.
Simple tip today! Hope you like it and until next time, 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 So You Want to Be A Mortician on July 1, 2021, for which you may register here.
