Embalming Standards of Care, Paperback

This book is written to inspire the next generation of embalmers to be the best they can be and remind the "old hands" that we can still learn and strive for greatness. The families that we serve deserve it. There are those who proclaim that embalming is dying or dead (pun intended). Cremation is the only future, some say. "Don't waste your time learning embalming for goodness sake. Learn to rebuild the retort or replace the recording wheel. After all, those are the required skills of the future. Furthermore, formaldehyde will be outlawed and that will be the end of embalming," others will say. For those of you in states where cremation is (or will be) in the 70-90% range, remember that there will still be that percentage of families who may want traditional services that include embalming. There will also be those who want cremation after embalming and visitation. It is the embalmer in these high cremation areas who really needs to maintain skills so that when called upon, you are ready. It is the previous embalmers who will be limited by repetition due to cremation and who must really remember and practice standards of care and professional techniques. Will embalming decrease over the coming decades? It already has. Will embalming and embalmers become obsolete like typewriters and printed yellow pages? No. In fact, great embalmers will naturally excel in a free market system. There will be a need for great embalmers. It is my hope that the following pages, chapters, standards, and ideas empower those of you who are embalmers and those of you who want to be prepared to serve those families who will value the services that only a professional embalmer can provide.

About the Author:

Jzyk S. Ennis, Ph.D. (pronounced Jay-zick) is employed as a full-time instructor at a funeral service education program in Alabama and as a part-time funeral director for a local funeral home. Dr. Ennis is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the states of Alabama and Georgia and is a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP). He began teaching as an adjunct instructor in 2000 and was hired as a full-time instructor in 2005 and remains in that position today. Previous to his hire as a full-time faculty member, Dr. Ennis managed one of Alabama's largest funeral homes and has over 26 years of licensed experience in the funeral profession. Dr. Ennis is a nationally recognized author and speaker, has written numerous articles for national and state publications, and is a subject matter expert in legal cases related to embalming and funeral service. He is currently serving as President of the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), is a past president of the Alabama Funeral Directors Association, and a former At-large Representative on the Executive Board of the National Funeral Directors Association. Dr. Ennis graduated Magna Cum Laude and as the 1992 Outstanding Student in Funeral Service Education from Jefferson State Community college. He also earned degrees from: Auburn University with a B.S. in Business Administration, the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a M.P.A in Public Administration, and Auburn University with a Ph.D. in Adult Education. Dr. Ennis is a lifetime member of the Auburn University Alumni Association.