A nurse is preparing to care for a 60-year-old patient who has consented to corneal donation after death. Which action by the nurse demonstrates proper understanding of eye tissue donation protocols?

Contact the local eye bank immediately after death is pronounced. Provide the patient's identification, time of death, and medical history. Do not delay this call for family grieving; eye bank coordinators work alongside the family support process.

Elevate the head of the bed to a 30-degree angle. This reduces postmortem facial and conjunctival edema, which can cloud the cornea and damage endothelial cells. Maintain this position until the recovery team arrives.

• Close the eyelids gently. Do not force closure if rigor mortis has begun; instead, proceed to the next step.
• Apply sterile saline-moistened gauze pads over the closed eyes. Ensure the gauze is damp but not dripping. This creates a moist chamber that prevents epithelial drying and mechanical trauma.
• Do not remove contact lenses. Leave them in place to act as a protective barrier. Removal risks corneal abrasion and introduces contaminants.

Record the time of death, head elevation, eye care measures taken, and time of eye bank notification in the medical record. Communicate the donor status clearly to all staff during handoff to ensure continued protection of the tissue until recovery.