Ethical Delemis - Brain Death - 1632 Words

Running head: ETHICAL DILEMMA: BRAIN DEATH Ethical Dilemma: Brain Death Mike Baker University of Phoenix Introduction There has been an increase in the number of organs donated for transplantation since the development and acceptance of brain death. (Guidelines for the determination of death, 1981) The strict rules surrounding the diagnosis and the ability to develop individualized Policy and Procedures in the determination of brain death has removed the fear of law suite surrounding this definition of death. (Guidelines for the determination of death, 1981) Old vs. New Until brain death was introduced the diagnosis of death was the lack of cardiac function. Without a heart beat blood did not†¦show more content†¦In this case AMH has requested the SWOB to responded and recover organs for transplant. Once the brain death diagnosis is made the attending doctor does not have any more contact with the patient. This prevents the conflict of interest question from being raised. The responding organ bank, as well as the centers that receive the organs for transplant, provide on-call doctors to assist in the recovery process. The hospital however maintains control of the patient. This chain of command is for the protection of all involved in the recovery and transplant process. In this situation the organ bank was challenging the diagnosis of brain death made by a member of the professional staff of AMH. Not only was there a challenge but it was being made by some one other then a doctor. Only a doctor can pronounce a patient dead. So here was another dilemma in that there was a challenge to the doctor’s diagnosis being made by a nurse. This in it self goes against the State Nursing Rules for licensure. Nurses are not allowed to diagnosis nor practice medicine. The transplant coordinator nurse needed the support of the organ bank’s medical staff. The organ bank’s medical staff was not on scene and thus had to take the word of the transplant coordinator. In this case the transplant coordinator could have just continued with the recovery and not said anything. The coordinator could have