Embalmers

Career Description: Prepare bodies for interment in conformity with legal requirements.

Industry: Personal Care and Service

Other Job Titles for Embalmers:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
• Apply cosmetics to impart lifelike appearance to the deceased.
• Incise stomach and abdominal walls and probe internal organs, using trocar, to withdraw blood and waste matter from organs.
• Close incisions, using needles and sutures.
• Reshape or reconstruct disfigured or maimed bodies when necessary, using dermasurgery techniques and materials such as clay, cotton, plaster of Paris, and wax.
• Make incisions in arms or thighs and drain blood from circulatory system and replace it with embalming fluid, using pump.
• Dress bodies and place them in caskets.
• Perform the duties of funeral directors, including coordinating funeral activities.
• Join lips, using needles and thread or wire.
• Conduct interviews to arrange for the preparation of obituary notices, to assist with the selection of caskets or urns, and to determine the location and time of burials or cremations.
• Attach trocar to pump-tube, start pump, and repeat probing to force embalming fluid into organs.
• Perform special procedures necessary for remains that are to be transported to other states or overseas, or where death was caused by infectious disease.
• Maintain records such as itemized lists of clothing or valuables delivered with body and names of persons embalmed.
• Insert convex celluloid or cotton between eyeballs and eyelids to prevent slipping and sinking of eyelids.
• Wash and dry bodies, using germicidal soap and towels or hot air dryers.
• Arrange for transporting the deceased to another state for interment.
• Supervise funeral attendants and other funeral home staff.
• Pack body orifices with cotton saturated with embalming fluid to prevent escape of gases or waste matter.
• Assist with placing caskets in hearses and organize cemetery processions.
• Serve as pallbearers, attend visiting rooms, and provide other assistance to the bereaved.
• Direct casket and floral display placement and arrange guest seating.
• Arrange funeral home equipment and perform general maintenance.
• Assist coroners at death scenes or at autopsies, file police reports, and testify at inquests or in court, if employed by a coroner.
• Press diaphragm to evacuate air from lungs.

Emerging Tasks

• Remove the deceased from place of death and transport to funeral home.
• Clean and tidy hotel lounge.
• Make reservations (e.g., for dinner, spa treatments, golf tee times) and travel arrangements (e.g., rental cars and airport shuttles) for patrons, and obtain tickets to special events.
• Provide business services for guests, such as sending and receiving faxes and shipping packages.
• Provide directions to guests.
• Provide food and beverage services to guests.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• administer enemas, irrigations, or douches to patients
• administer injections
• apply make-up
• arrange decorations or furniture for banquets or social functions
• arrange for transportation or accommodations
• assist in carrying casket
• consult with customers concerning needs
• coordinate activities of assistants
• determine funeral arrangements
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• direct funeral services
• ensure compliance with government regulations
• file documents in court
• follow infectious materials procedures
• greet customers, guests, visitors, or passengers
• interview customers
• interview family members to arrange funeral details
• maintain or repair work tools or equipment
• maintain records, reports, or files
• prepare bodies for interment
• provide customer service
• schedule activities, classes, or events
• sew by hand
• testify in court for accident and criminal cases
• use hair, cosmetic, or nail care instruments
• use health or sanitation standards
• use knowledge of relevant laws
• use portable electric fabric cutter
• serve food or beverages
• service vehicle with water, fuel, or oil
• stock or organize goods
• use cash registers
• use knowledge of food handling rules
• use oral or written communication techniques
• verify ticket or pass

Overall Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$17.69
• Average annual wage (2007) - $36,800.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 14.26%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 1,288
• Employment (2006): 9,028

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