Hey everyone. I had a pt come into the ER in full cardiac arrest. Didn't make it. 56 yr old really sad. He had a life partner who was extremely distraught and actually signed in to get medication to calm down. Anyway, he specifically told us about his partner being an organ donor. Even the coroner who came and ruled this a cardiac death mentioned to make sure about organ donation.
I call kidney one go through all their ?s and what happened. Then I progress to the next level and another rep calls me back go through EVERYTHING all over. Finally I mentioned something about the pt's life partner and slap instantly this pt's rejected due to "high risk behavior."
Now from my understanding the thing probably of concern is transmitting aids even with the organs tested if just infected will not show up. I really think this couple was in a monogamous relationship. They had been together for over 5 years. The guy was probably much healthier and less riskier than some other organs donated. I can see that with anal sex you can cause tearing more and transmit aids and that is probably the high risk the criteria is for but is ther percentage that great to reject organs for donation? I heard people with tatoos are rejected for blood (I don't know about organ donation). Still even with this in mind I was still quite surprised. Especially it deemed "high risk behavior." Because that is not necesarilly so. I would think risky behavior is multiple sex partners and yes that is but that's with all groups.
I mentioned this to my friend and instantly she states it's like this because aids is "astronomical" in homosexual populations. Is that really so? I know she is against homosexuality very much and absolutely know that is in her mind as well but with anal sex there is more tearing and potential but does anybody know actual numbers from an acredited sorce? I know in the 80s aids was really pushed out there because it was found in the homosexual poplulation. I suppose I can look on a main aids site or gov type thing. I'm comming accross just random pages with no substance to back it.
Is this risk really that relavant? And should it be deemed "high risk." And one article I read type cast homosexuals in general so what about lesbians? I know donations have to be screened excessively but is this too much?
--broke my huge paragraph up hope it helps to read it!!
Haven't heard that one in a long time and I live in ultra-conservative South TX. Makes me feel like I'm part of some radical cult like the Manson Family or something.
Anyway, yes there are things that should be and things that are, I agree.
As a gay man, I accept the fact that I cannot donate blood. My hospital continues to whine about major shortages trying to get employees to donate all of the time and I must simply shrug my shoulders and say "I can't help you". That's the way it is today.
Meanwhile I get to watch my straight co-workers who pick up new guys at the bar every weekend (some of whom don't even use protection) and have 3-4 children from 3-4 different fathers give blood on a regular basis.
Statistically, I wonder which employees in this hospital are more likely to be infected with HIV?
Oh I know, it's the gay guy who's had the same exclusive partner for 4 years and gets tested at least yearly.
Good luck to you in your BSN program. My program likes to really harp on cultural competence and sensitivity. I've learned a lot about things from Vietnamese to Italian traditions and healthcare beliefs/practices.
No mention has ever made in all of this cultural sensitivity coursework or any of our textbooks about interacting with gay patients and their families.
I've brought it to the school's attention and am trying to get it changed and you are a great example of why it's so important to me.
The thought of any school granting a nursing degree to anyone who is so distant from, and disconnected with, the gay community that they still refer to it as an "abnormal lifestyle" someday becoming my nurse really scares the heck out of me.
I hope your nursing program is better than mine at teaching students how to become competent practitioners with respect to gay patients because no matter where you live or work, you will be taking care of gay people, and hopefully you will give them the care that they deserve.
"Abnormal Lifestyle" ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Please give us the definetion of a "Normal Lifestyle"
As far as I know...Normal is a setting on my washing machine. That's about it.
I can see that with anal sex you can cause tearing more and transmit aids and that is probably the high risk the criteria is for but is ther percentage that great to reject organs for donation? I heard people with tatoos are rejected for blood (I don't know about organ donation).
Not only that, but with anal sex and increase chance of tearing, there is an increased chance of infection considering poop is what, 40-60% bacteria if I'm remembering correctly from Micro.
I mentioned this to my friend and instantly she states it's like this because aids is "astronomical" in homosexual populations. Is that really so
Sadly, the rates are higher among homosexual men than in any other demographic. Previously the rates of increase were higher in other groups, but this particular demographic is again outstripping others in new cases. Very sad. And again, anal sex increases risk of catching all sorts of things, not just aids.
Is this risk really that relavant? And should it be deemed "high risk."
For now, apparently it is. I don't think they would be rejected as organ donators for purely political reasons. HOpefully in the future we will have better screening, better prevention, and better studies so that this and other groups currently considered "high risk" can be included in organ donation pools.
"Is this risk really that relavant? And should it be deemed "high risk." And one article I read type cast homosexuals in general so what about lesbians? I know donations have to be screened excessively but is this too much?"
Accord to the WHO Report Aids Surveillance in the America Annual Report June 2004 available atPage 15
This is posted on the UNOS website (that is the group that runs the transplant national lists that match pts with donors):
"For any death where organ donation is a possibility and consent is given, there will be a medical assessment of what organs can be recovered. There are no absolute age limits to organ donation. A handful of medical conditions will rule out organ donation, such as HIV-positive status, actively spreading cancer (except for primary brain tumors that have not spread beyond the brain stem), or certain severe, current infections. However, for most other diseases or chronic medical conditions, organ donation remains possible."
So unless the pt was HIV + or had cancer there was absolutely NO REASON to exclude him from being a partial donor of something. I believe they are also required to do HIV testing on the donor.
It sounds like someone's personal feelings became involved and resulted in the death or continued suffering of someone on the transplant list.
I used to donate blood and platelets on a regular basis; in 2002 I was banned due to risk of "mad cow disease". Why? Having been a military dependant in Europe for more than 6 months in the early 80's. Never mind that I'm a vegetarian...
I was also a registered potential marrow donor; I reminded them to remove me from their records but was told that this would not be necessary - marrow donor guidelines aren't nearly as strict.
And for organ donations they are even less strict!
No wonder there are frequent blood shortages, those of use who want to donate are banned for the most ridiculous reasons (don't get me started. I'm a greater risk than a promiscuous female who sleeps with 10 men and/or women a week? She can donate. And so can promiscuous men as long as they only sleep with women. And many others with high risk behaviors.) However, don't automatically assume that you are also unable to donate bone marrow or organs. The guidelines differ a lot.
Yes, I assume someone who needs a heart transplant is probably not going to worry about a 1 in ? chance of getting mad cow disease from a vegetarian...
rambisisking
145 Posts
"Abnormal Lifestyle" ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Please give us the definetion of a "Normal Lifestyle"
As far as I know...Normal is a setting on my washing machine. That's about it.
Shame on you