Final answer:
After a patient's death, an RN should notify the attending physician, document the time and cause of death, remove any medical devices, and prepare the body for morgue transfer, while adhering to proper protocols.
Step-by-step explanation:
Immediately after a patient's death, a Registered Nurse (RN) should perform several critical steps. First, the nurse should notify the attending physician, who will confirm the death and determine the cause. Next, documenting the time and cause of death is essential in the patient's medical records. This information is important for legal and health records. Following that, the nurse may need to remove any medical devices or equipment from the patient, though this step can sometimes be done by other personnel later in the process. Finally, the nurse should prepare the body for transfer to the morgue, which includes respecting any cultural or religious practices requested by the family or outlined in the patient's advance directives.