Organ Donors

How does your agency deal with potential Organ Donors?

Do you "work harder" on keeping them "alive" or "viable"?

Does it make any difference?

Do you ever find out onscene that the patient is signed up to be an organ donor?

Are they treated with a higher priority or level of care?

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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on January 31, 2011 at 1:23am
I suspect that there is a(naive) juvenile agenda at work. I mean, a 15 year old lecturing on why Organ Donation is unacceptable. Really?

*So that many can die, so that many others can die as well*
or
*trash my organs; if I can't use them, nobody else can either*
Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on January 31, 2011 at 1:43am
*trash my organs; if I can't use them, nobody else can either*

this is the approach I'm taking with my liver.
Permalink Reply by Rachel on January 31, 2011 at 7:30am
Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate you taking the time to write them. Eventhough I disagree with most of them, I am 15,a teen, and I tend to disagree with most adults right now. (I think I wil grow out of it very soon)

I will be taking Biology next school year. Hopefully I will learn more then.

I am sorry the thread turned into a "boxing match":(

I don't know if it is usual for a teen to have so many questions, but I do.

Thank you for explaining your view on the entire situation.

One day I am sure to understand. When, I don't know.

Thanks for everthing!
Permalink Reply by Beverly on January 31, 2011 at 8:45am
Rachel,

Keep in mind that organ donation is not mandatory, no one will "make you" donate your organs. Once you are 18 you can get a health care proxy ( at least in NY) that will allow you to designate someone to make decisions for you if you are unable (i.e. brain damaged, brain dead, in a medically induced coma etc.). If you wish to be an organ donor you can specify which organs you are willing to donate or IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO DONATE at all, just make sure that you have discussed this with your health care proxy designate. Please do not confuse a health care proxy with a do not resuscitate (aka DNR). A DNR is an entirely different document ( and put very simply...yes everyone else it is a more involved) requiring a doctor's signature verifying that no advanced life saving measures should be taken. The DNR is an end of life decision not a treatment guide as a health care proxy can be.
I for one am not an organ donor, (I have my own reasons which I will not discuss here) except in the case that my children or husband will need something at the time of my death. My husband will donate almost everything, I hope never to be asked about my children.
Now you also need to know that organ harvesting is done in a very respectful manner, it is no way shape or form ghoulish, macabre or humorous. It is in fact very evident to all involved that this is a tremendously reverent situation. While no one is waiting to pounce on an unconscious person on the sidewalk and rip out their organs, there are protocols and viability standards to be considered as well as the feelings and needs family of the deceased.
All that said and done, does it affect the way I treat a pt.? NO...NO...NO! Bottom line, no explaining, no excuses, every pt. is treated the same.
I think you need more exposure to how the world of medicine actually works, not necessarily what you see on TV, in the movies or hear through the grapevine. Find yourself a EMS provider and see if they have explorers, go volunteer at a hospital or at hospice, talk to the organ procurement person at your local hospital. Get all the facts before you form an opinion so that you know in your heart and mind that your opinion has been based on fact not emotion. Also, keep in mind that your opinion might change as you age and mature.
Permalink Reply by Eric Gregory on January 31, 2011 at 10:02am
Teen or Not never stop asking questions, but more importantly don't forget to listen to the answers. You don't have to believe them all up front but at least Listen to them and you seem to be doing a decent job of that.

The fact that you can even look at things and realize that you don't necessarily understand them says a lot about your maturity level. Just remember that fact and be willing to listen to the advice those who do understand and have lots of experince give you.
Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on January 31, 2011 at 6:57pm
My liver has angered me and must be punished!
Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on January 31, 2011 at 7:02pm
Just remember Rachel, we were all 15 once too, but then we grew up and gained knowledge. We're just trying to give you the beneifts of our knowkedge. Good luck in Biology next year. Never stop learning. Stay safe!
Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on January 31, 2011 at 7:04pm
Ok, for the first time, I will admit that I never got through every word of every post of this thread.

What I did see, which saddens me, is that people still do not believe in organ donation.

As I enter my 2nd year waiting for a double lung transplant, (which is assumed the result of the work I did) I guess I am a bit biased. I won't apologize for that.
If the 15 year old were suddenly faced with certain death unless a suitable organ donor and organ was found, would the opinion change? I can't speak of any other organs, but with lungs, out of all the organs (lungs) that are donated for transplant, 85% of them will be not suitable. That leaves very very few left for use.
I am going to go back and attempt to read and understand everything that was written here. Hopefully I missed some important stuff.
Permalink Reply by Beverly on February 1, 2011 at 9:52am
Brian,
Just to clarify: I did not say I don't believe in organ donation, I said that I for reasons I will not discuss here I am not an organ donor. I believe that organ donation is a personal choice and would never encourage someone to either decision.
You have my most heartfelt prayers that you will find a donor and have a successful transplant.
Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on February 1, 2011 at 10:42am
Rachel,

I apologize for my first rather glib reply. It was based on an assumption (mine) that it was posted just for the sake of posting. I've since read your replies and blog.

At least you did the research and included links, so we can see on what you base your opinion on. That being said, my take is that your opinion on organ donation may be based on your religious belief (two of the three references you sited are based on catholic dogma).

You are entitled to your religious beliefs and to follow them as a guide to how you live your life, however, keep in mind that it is a guide to how YOU live your life, it shouldn't be a universal template to be applied to everyone else.

As you indicated, the human body is resilient and can keep on working even though a patient is considered brain dead. These functions are autonomous and independent (e.g. a chicken with it's head cut off can continue to run around the barnyard for a short period) of that part of the brain that makes us *human*.

There are accepted clinical criteria in determining brain death (vs. coma) :
http://www.aan.com/professionals/practice/guidelines/pda/Brain_deat...
http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Vegetative_state
http://www.ijccm.org/article.asp?issn=0972-5229;year=2009;volume=13...

There may be many reasons that a person may oppose organ donation but I suspect that mostly it has to do with religious reasons. That being the case there is nothing wrong with choosing to NOT be an organ donor if that supports one's personal beliefs. I would hope though, that in order to be consistent with one's belief, accepting an organ donation would likewise not be acceptable (bit of a double standard in play if it were.) Also, I question the motivation that organ donation is acceptable but only to specific people (e.g. family members only). This too seems a bit of a double standard as well.

Read, learn, consult with your religious leaders and come to your own personal conclusion(s), but just keep in mind that they are your beliefs and should not be imposed on others. Moreover many *beliefs* are based on a lack of scientific understanding, ignorance and superstition (saying god bless when a person sneezes because it was thought a person's heart stopped during a sneeze and could die; that the *essence* of a person resided in the heart; a person in a coma was dead; cremation was wrong.)

If your question was posed because you were curious, I hope that this helps. If it was posed in a search to confirm personal (religious) beliefs then perhaps this is the wrong venue for that search.
Permalink Reply by Rachel on February 1, 2011 at 12:22pm
Your apology is accepted.

Yes I am a Catholic and No I do not beleive in forcing people to do anything against their wishes. I especially do not believe in appliying anything AT ALL to others.

Just a fact-Chickens DO run around after their heads are chopped off



I posted the questions to find out facts from different agencies, not personal opinions.


I know my religion and I know that FFN is not a site to start a religious descussion. It is a site for Firefighters and EMS.

Thank you for your insight.

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