(a) Professional nurses licensed under the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L. 317, No. 69),¹ known as “The Professional Nursing Law,” who are involved in direct care of a patient shall have the authority to pronounce death as determined under the act of December 17, 1982 (P.L. 1401, No. 323),² known as the “Uniform Determination of Death Act,” in the case of death from natural causes of a patient who is under the care of a physician or certified registered nurse practitioner when the physician or certified registered nurse practitioner is unable to be present within a reasonable period of time to certify the cause of death.

(b) Professional nurses shall have the authority to release the body of the deceased to a funeral director after notice has been given to the attending physician or certified registered nurse practitioner, when the deceased has an attending physician or certified registered nurse practitioner, and to a family member.

(c) If circumstances surrounding the nature of death are not anticipated and require a coroner's investigation, the professional nurse shall notify the county coroner, and the authority to release the body of the deceased to the funeral director shall be that of the coroner.

(d) Except as provided for under sections 502 and 503,³ this section provides for the pronouncement of death by professional nurses in accordance with the “Uniform Determination of Death Act,” but in no way authorizes a nurse to determine the cause of death. The responsibility for determining the cause of death remains with the physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or the coroner as provided under this act.