Keeping with the recent threads of organ donation, I have an experience I'd like to share about Carolina Donor Services (CDS), the organ procurement company that handled part of Jessica's transplant proceedings.

I took Medical Terminology II at Wake Technical Community College in NC last year, and we had someone from CDS come and speak to us about careers in the organ procurement field. It was an interesting topic, because most people don't think about that field as part of the medical field.

However, one fact that she shared about the company REALLY shocked and disturbed me. She said that if the company has any money left over at the end of a fiscal quarter, they give their employees bonuses.

Now, I'm not against rewarding employees for good work, but I have to be honest and say that when a charity/non-profit group does it, it bothers me. Shouldn't they have used the money to continue fulfilling their stated purpose?

It bothered me because I would be VERY angry if I donated money to CDS hoping to help them save people lives...and it ended up in somebody's POCKET instead. I don't know how common this practice is in the organ procurement field (Does anyone know?), how often it happens, or how big the bonuses are...but it's bothered the tar out of me ever since.

Maybe I have a double standard when it comes to charities and non-profit groups, I don't know. I believe strongly in donating money to charity (and do so every year, after doing research), and it upsets me to think that money I give could be going in someone's pocket instead.

What do you guys think?

FYI, for anyone interested in researching charities online, two good places to go are http://www.give.org and http://www.charitynavigator.org. Hope that helps if anyone has wanted to, but wasn't sure where to go.

That's an eyeopener indeed. I hate it when I find out more goes to expenses than charity, but BONUSES? How can charitable money be EXTRA?

[hi,

Since i gradguated in 1999, i have come to find out that nursing innigeria does not have any place . We are not recognised and our certificate is not respected. there is no protection what so ever and nurses keep sufering .

I need sugesstion as to what to ..a way out.

thanks.Frankiebon

Huh?

Also, no one else has any comment on this?

When I worked in the unit, I had the opportunity to work with the organ procurement people on several occassions. Excellent group of folks. Very professional and thorough, of which MANY are RNs.

While some may not agree with the bonuses, I say why not. ALL nurses should get a bonus for what we do.

These folks dont have established hours. They can be called at ANY HOUR of the DAY OR NIGHT and at MOMENTS notice to go anywhere in their territory.

It is their job to keep the organs viable (via drugs, multiple labs etc ---all of which is paid by the organ bank, by the way) and to hook up the organs to a recieving hospital and patient.

Once there they are expected to stay until the organs are harvested. No matter how long it takes.

Well, that's an interesting topic. I'm not exactly sure how I feel. On the one hand, I, too, would hope that money I donated to a charity is going directly towards the charitable aim. On the other hand, in order for the process to work optimally, you need qualified, reliable people on staff. I'm not sure about nurses, but most people in the business world receive a bonus every year. The bonuses may be necessary for retention, especially since the working conditions may be less than ideal. It would also depend on the size of the bonus. A couple hundred dollars per employee I would not have a problem with.

These folks dont have established hours. They can be called at ANY HOUR of the DAY OR NIGHT and at MOMENTS notice to go anywhere in their territory. Once there they are expected to stay until the organs are harvested. No matter how long it takes.

But they also know this going into the job. I just wouldn't want money that I donated to an organization not going toward helping the people the organization claims to help.

I agree with Mel, I'm sort of divided on it. And you're right, Mel, people in the business world do get bonuses (I don't know about "most" people getting bonuses, but some do) - but these are also at companies that do not accept donations like non-profit/charity groups.

Thanks for your responses. I've wondered if I put the wrong title on this one, and that was why no one was responding.

I wonder what Carolina Donor Services input is to this.

quote:

I do understand what you mean, you want to see the money to go to help the people it is intended to help. But isnt that money helping those people if by giving small bonuses to their staff, it ensures good reliable help continues to be available.

Yes they signed on knowing it was crummy hours....dont all of us nurses, but I think it is a nice gesture from management to let the staff know they appreciate their efforts.

I would hope they also tell them how good of a job they do on a regular basis as well.