Funeral Arranging and Directing
About 51 of every 150 questions on a NBE Arts practice exam come from this topic.
What to know
Review the arrangement conference from first call to final disposition: removal and transfer, the documents and authorizations gathered, death certificate and burial-transit permit duties, and coordination with clergy, cemeteries, crematories and florists. Know the customs of major religious and cultural traditions, military and veterans honors and benefits, Social Security notification, and how services are directed: visitation, the funeral, the procession and the committal, including shipping remains domestically and abroad.
Where it comes from
- NBE Arts content outline (2023), Domain I
- 16 C.F.R. Part 453 (FTC Funeral Rule)
- U.S. Standard Certificate of Death (CDC/NCHS)
- VA burial benefits (38 U.S.C. ch. 23)
Try a practice question
A decedent is wearing a wedding ring and a watch at the time of a hospital removal. The best practice is to:
- AHand the items to any hospital staff member present at the removal
- BInventory the items in writing and document their custody
- CLeave the items on the body without making any record of them
- DRemove the items and discard the hospital's personal property list
Show the answer
Inventory the items in writing and document their custody. A written inventory of personal effects, with documentation of custody, protects the family and the funeral home against loss and disputes.
NBE Arts outline, Funeral Arranging and Directing — general professional knowledge