Nurses help provide crucial information to organ donors and their families.
The importance of timely and sensitive organ donation cannot be stressed enough in today's complex medical environment. As a premier part of the health-care team, nurses can have a unique and profound influence on a patient or family's decision to become an organ donor.
Patients
At times, the decision to become a donor is an easy one, when the patient is young and in relatively good health before dying suddenly. With older patients who are dying, nurses can provide solace and comfort during the stressful time needed to make this important decision.
Families
It is not only patients who have trouble coming to terms with organ donation. Families of the terminally ill might need to make the difficult choice of whether to let their dying relative become a donor. Nurses can assist in this emotional process by providing information to families on the positive effects donation can bring to another needy patient and her loved ones.
Cultural
With new life-saving treatments and medications comes the potential for longer life --- and with it, the increased need for eventual organ donation. However, certain cultures or religions look down on or expressly prohibit their members from becoming donors. Nurses who share the ethnic and religious background of the patient can assist him in seeing donation as a viable and selfless option.
Tags: organ donation, become donor, decision become