Just watched "Hopkins" and I have a question!

[glamgalRN]

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

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

one was the cardiac surgery attending and the other was the cardiac surgery fellow.

on another subject -- i've never met the woman, but i've decided i don't like that er resident -- the blonde with the big blue eyes. she's so much more interested in the camera than she is in her job! or is that the new way to wear a mask with a face shield? so the mask protects your neck and your face can still be seen on tv? originally i had believed that the mask just slipped down while she was working, but in scene after scene after scene (and with her hair in at least 3 different styles) she's wearing the mask the exact same way.

[core0]

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.)

We send a doc and a PA or two docs. Then the OPO (organ procurement organization) sends a RN coordinator (sometimes 2 if there are a lot of organs) and a tech. The coordinators from the program are never involved in the procurement for ethical reasons. Just as the physicians from the procuring organization are not involved in discussion with the family or in managing the patient prior to procurement.

Once the organs are procured the tech and the RN are responsible along with the physician for flushing them and packing them. If we are taking all five (heart, lung, liver, kidneys and pancreas) the heart and lung team bolt as soon as their organ is out. We usually follow shortly after along with the KP if there is a pancreas. The other kidney goes out separately. I believe they send them by commercial air occasionally.

David Carpenter, PA-C

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

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.

The show is on at 10pm on ABC.

[platon20]

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.

Thats not true. If it were, they would just let inexperienced med students do everything solo with no supervision. Its a balancing act--teaching while being supervised by experienced attendings.

Lets remember, its these teaching hospitals that move medicine forward. How much research and advancements do you see being done by small community hospitals?