People Often Are Not Aware

The survey also found that 1 in 3 families indicated their loved ones had previously expressed a desire to donate, which made their decisions easier. A few wanted the donor to live on in someone else and considered the donation a memorial to their deceased loved one. The results can reflect only the opinions of the people who responded to the survey, but they confirm that most families find organ donation to be a very good experience. A broader review of the literature on the experience of organ donation reveals some recurring themes. At the time they’re asked to donate, families are overwhelmed with emotions, have difficulty grasping what’s being said to them and often don’t understand what brain death means. Many of these concerns may reflect procedural differences across health care systems. A common issue is that the declaration of brain death often is unexpected, and it’s the health care team’s responsibility to prepare families carefully for this possible outcome. No study has documented regret after donation. The opposite, unfortunately, is true. Some families later feel guilty about not donating a loved one’s organs. These perspectives are useful to health care staff and can help us better support families. This is both a legal and ethical issue that’s carefully monitored by hospitals.

Who Do You Think You're Fooling?

A national computer system matches the donor and recipient information, based upon blood type, time spent waiting on the list, age, size of organs and preexisting medical conditions, and not on social status or financial background. Families can stay with a loved one until the patient goes to the operating room. Organ donation can save up to eight lives and benefit up to 75 other individuals through tissue donation. Cornea donation restores sight in more than 95% of all transplants and to more than 84,000 people each year. Funeral arrangements won’t be affected. An open casket and a viewing are still possible if your loved one is a donor. The transplant organization will provide a detailed letter about which organs were donated and how many people received the organs, but the organ recipients are kept anonymous. Transplant organizations can contact the recipients to ask if they want to meet the family of the donor. Some recipients agree to meet with the donor’s family, and others choose not to. Funeral home decisions and costs are the family’s responsibility. Some ethicists, religious leaders and even physicians are conscientious objectors to organs that are donated from individuals declared dead. The perspectives of religious organizations regarding organ donation are unclear.

Long May You Run

All major Christian denominations, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are supportive of helping others and emphasize the great opportunity to save another person’s life. Nonetheless, some denominations don’t seem to approve of donation, often due to the personal opinions of their religious leaders. In addition, certain religious tenets, such as the Japanese Shinto religion, which considers a dead body to be impure, dangerous and still quite powerful, make it difficult for families to proceed with organ donation. In a diverse, multicultural world, differences of opinion are to be expected. I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the possibility that major conflicts about organ transplantation sometimes arise between families and members of the health care staff. Almost always, our staff has cordial relationships with families. Sometimes, a complete breakdown occurs, and a family loses trust in the physicians taking care of their loved one. What do we do to help a family that wants to continue care against all odds? If they won’t accept brain death as death, there are two options. The first is to consider maintaining full support for a patient for a few days while trying to resolve the situation. In that case, the physician should ask for assistance from a hospital ethics committee to explain to the family that brain death is, in fact, the death of a person. Spiritual counsel may become involved as having a member of the clergy present can be very helpful. A second option is to directly involve a judge.

The Best Thing About Me

It’s a an option that we absolutely try to avoid. It’s important to be sensitive and to try to help family members reach a sense of closure. Whether disputes can be avoided with more effective communication or using a mediator to help resolve issues between health care staff and families remains to be studied. Transferring the patient to another institution isn’t a good resolution. Physicians may not have provided family members with the information they needed to make an informed decision. The request for organ donation may occur prematurely or unexpectedly. Religious and cultural beliefs may not be fully recognized by health care staff. The family may be praying for a miracle or convinced that a miracle will come. Family members may be distrustful, angry or experiencing other emotions that prevent them from acknowledging the medical reality of the situation. Family members may worry that they’re giving up on a loved one or making the wrong decision. There may be reasons of which we’re unaware, such as dissatisfaction with the care their loved one has received. It’s important to educate families about the donation process, acknowledge the strain they’re under, and describe the satisfaction of others who’ve contributed a loved one’s organs. This may help them reach a decision. Giving a family time after the diagnosis of brain death to consider information about organ donation allows them to organize their thoughts and arrive at the conclusion that’s best for them. Certainly, some people’s views will never change. But if we can keep families that are unsure about organ donation from buying into fallacies and misconceptions, then we’ve accomplished something and helped them to make an informed decision. If the family grants approval, transplant recipients who benefit by being given a second chance at life will be indescribably grateful. People often are not aware that all patients who die in the hospital or in hospice can potentially donate their bodies as an anatomical gift. However, this decision needs to be made earlier and cannot happen after a tragic accident.