Just watched "Hopkins" and I have a question!

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

I could be a smart aleck, and say that given the crime stats in that part of Baltimore, they want one to be bait for the muggers.

I worked at Hopkins, and may go back, but you have to be careful about personal security there.

I really don't know the answer, but I liked seeing some of the old "sights".

jessi1106, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

I am not sure, but I think that two MD's need to approve that the organ is viable and not "compromised".

clairebearrn · Jul 18, 2008

glamgalRN,

I have the same question! :) You read my mind. I thought they sent someone to pick the organ up, not MDs. Did you see the episode where they needed the MDs but they weren't there snce they were picking up an organ. Don't they need them at the hospital? I'm confused...

djc1981 · Jul 18, 2008

I loved the quote from the nurse about knowing a lot of smart nurses and dumb physicians :nuke:. Also, is it just me or does that show make Baltimore look like the dirtiest, dingiest city ever?!

woody62, RN · Jul 18, 2008

I am assuming that they send the two physicians to do a proper organ removal. Unless the surgeons have transplant experience, one doesn't just go in a cut the organ out and transport it.

Woody:twocents:

CraigB-RN, MSN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

Remember Hopkin's is in East Baltimore. I can remember knowing how busy a shift it was going to be based on the number of crack vials crunching under my feet on the way to work. Although it has been a few years since I worked at Hopkins, I never felt scared there. I supposed that might be different if I had to park blocks away and walked to the hospital.

remember, this is a TEACHING hospital. It's primary purpose is to teach and only secondary patient care. Two MD's is how one learns. There is no right or wrong, each transplant system has different ways of doing things that work for them.

RazorbackRN, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

remember, this is a TEACHING hospital. It's primary purpose is to teach and only secondary patient care. Two MD's is how one learns. There is no right or wrong, each transplant system has different ways of doing things that work for them.

I believe this is the reason. One of those docs was the resident, thus needing the learning experience.

What I find odd though is that it seems that most of their donors have been rather local. My hospital does many pediatric heart transplants but I don't think we've ever had a local donor, and our physicians have never left to go pick up the donor organ...it has always been delivered to us.

core0 · Jul 18, 2008

I just graduated from nursing school so obviously I have A TON to learn but I have a question about transplants..
So the past two weeks on the ABC show Hopkins, when they're preparing for a transplant and going to pick up the donor organ they always send two doctors. Why is that? Do the doctors go to the hospital to help remove the organ? Or do they just do it to make it look more interesting/exciting for the viewers? I'm curious! Thanks! :redbeathe

You need two people to do the procurement (actually you need about 5 but that includes the OPO people). It takes two people to cannulate the heart and free it up. Usually one is a senior fellow or attending. The other can be a fellow or resident or PA:D. For hearts and lungs the transplanting hospital always sends the surgeons since you have to be able to look at it to evaluate it. For kidneys and livers the programs will sometimes let surgeons in the city where the organs are procure. It depends on how well you know and trust the other surgeons. It may look dramatic to be zooming around the country in a Lear jet but after a few times at 3AM it loses its appeal. On the other hand our pilots are very cool and know all the good BBQ places in the South so there is usually something good to eat when we head back.

David Carpenter, PA-C

CraigB-RN, MSN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

You need two people to do the procurement (actually you need about 5 but that includes the OPO people). It takes two people to cannulate the heart and free it up. Usually one is a senior fellow or attending. The other can be a fellow or resident or PA:D. For hearts and lungs the transplanting hospital always sends the surgeons since you have to be able to look at it to evaluate it. For kidneys and livers the programs will sometimes let surgeons in the city where the organs are procure. It depends on how well you know and trust the other surgeons. It may look dramatic to be zooming around the country in a Lear jet but after a few times at 3AM it loses its appeal. On the other hand our pilots are very cool and know all the good BBQ places in the South so there is usually something good to eat when we head back.
David Carpenter, PA-C

Ah yes 3am, I will admit that Taco Cabbana in San Antonio at 2-3 am usually hit the spot. :) In Baltimore Jimmies for breakfast. Ahh the life.

And you also have to remember that this is TV. I was working at Johns Hopkin when the first Hopkin series came out, ( you can see my but sticking out a room during one of the SICU scenes). For those few minutes that showed, there were a couple hundred of hours in the can. They only showed the footage that got the point they were aiming at across.

And to add to Davids response, when harvesting from cadavers, it was jut a tech and me, when we were taking eyes, skin and bone. Anything else, one of the team harvested. Now one of the local teams would harvest and someone might take the organ a ways away to be placed.

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

I believe this is the reason. One of those docs was the resident, thus needing the learning experience.
My DH had a liver transplant and the hospital sent 2 docs and/or a doc and a rn that is a clinical coordinator. (we had a couple of false alarms.)

JohnnysGirl · Jul 18, 2008

OK, ok,... I was trying to find this show last night on t.v. and couldn't! Can someone PLEASE tell me when this show is on and what station? I thought it was 8-9 central on CBS. How come I can't find it? I have missed every single episode so far. Luckily I had CSI: Miami 4th season on DVD as back-up.