Question about organ donation.

[xlilchatonx]

]I searched the forum about this, but I did not find the answer to the question I have. I am not currently an organ donor, but I did want to be one and decided against it. It's almost time for me to get my driver's license redone and I'm again considering becoming one, but I do have a question (this is what caused me not to do it the first time). I've heard (and not from any doctors or nurses) that when a patient is an organ donor that doctors don't try as hard as they normally would to save the patient. Is this true? It may be naive, but I really want to know whether or not there is any truth to that or if it's just something people say to scare people from choosing that simply because they don't want their loved one to do that.

[queenjean]

Obviously the medical community still has a ways to go in educating the general public about organ donation. I don't know when or how it should be done, but if people still believe that we just let them die, or that we charge them for the donation, or other completely untrue myths, we need to be somehow be doing a better job. It's completely amazing to me that these myths are still out there.

I've felt for a long time that it should be the primary care providers' jobs to make sure that all of their pts understand the need for living wills and DPOAs, and that this discussion should take place every year with the annual health exam. Perhaps a little information on organ donation (as simple as a flyer about myths and realities) would also be helpful. Would people actually read it, though?

[xlilchatonx]

I completely agree with you. There should be more information about it. I think a flyer or pamphlet would be a good idea, maybe to put in the waiting room or even at the DMV since that's where it gets put on your license lol. But seriously, I think there should be information made readily available in some type of format like that. I think that if people were more informed about organ donation that they would be more inclined to choose to do so you know?

It really makes me wonder why I've never seen any information about it, it's such a good thing to do why wouldn't they put the info out there?

[Plagueis]

I wish there was more correct information about donating organs, as well. There is so much information about the importance of donating blood, but not about donating organs.

The myth that hospitals/doctors don't try as hard to save an organ donor is pervasive, based on my personal experience, as that is one reason that many people I know don't sign up to have their organs donated.

[rph3664]

My friend's 14-year-old son was an organ donor after he collapsed with a brain aneurysm. They could not use his heart, lungs, or liver, because those are damaged during CPR, but she and his father consented with the team to "take anything you can use."

Her daughter has a 2-year-old son named after his uncle. :1luvu:

[xlilchatonx]

Definitely, I don't know why there isn't more information out there. Educating people on the process could save so many more lives.

And that's a wonderful story :] I'm glad to hear that.