How long are dead bodies kept in hospitals?

Question

I've tried searching for this information on the internet but it just isn't giving me what I need to know. I know this sounds like an odd question but it's important I know it for a story I'm writing, as I like accurate as possible information. How long are dead bodies kept in hospitals before they are moved to a morgue? And what is the room called in which they are stored at the hospital?

Please no sarcastic or "funny" answers as I don't appreciate it when I've been looking for this information for awhile.

Thank you.

P.S I had no idea where to put this question, so I just chose this category.

Answer 1

Answerer above me is correct, they can only legally hold them for 48 hours if a family member wants to claim them, unless they have an infectious disease still on the body or are radioative.

In which case they wouldn't be in the morgue anyway.

Answer 2

most hospitols/nursing homes/care facilites have thier own morgues. Normally bodies are stored for about 2 days depending on how many bodies are in at the time, if an autopsy needs to be preformed etc. Then they are transported to a funeral home/mortuary to be embalmed and released to the family.

Answer 3

Hospitals have their own morgues, but most bodies don't get there. It's perfectly normal for the funeral home to show up within two or three hours.

Answer 4

Normally the hospital will take the body to the morgue where it will be picked up by the funeral home called.  Sometimes it is left in the patient room in cases where the family is called and must come from a distance.  After the family has left the body will be moved to the morgue, unless the funeral home has already picked it up.