Page 42 - Critical Care Notes

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BASICS

Organ Donation
Transplantable organs include:
■ Kidneys
■ Heart
■ Lungs
■ Liver
■ Pancreas
■ Intestines
Corneas, the middle ear, skin, heart valves, bone, veins, cartilage, tendons,
and ligaments can be stored in tissue banks and used to restore sight, cover
burns, repair hearts, replace veins, and mend damaged connective tissue and
cartilage in recipients.
Healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60 yr can donate blood stem cells:
marrow, peripheral blood stem cells, and cord blood stem cells.
Nursing Role in Organ Donation
■ Provide accurate information regarding donation.
■ Identify possible donors early.
■ Work closely with the organ procurement organization and members of the
health team to elicit donations.
■ Provide emotional support to families considering donation, and make sure
to respect their cultural and religious beliefs.
■ Become a donor advocate among colleagues and for patients and their
families.
General Criteria for Brain Death
■ Absence of purposive movement
■ Flaccid tone and absence of spontaneous or induced movements
■ Persistent deep coma
■ No response to pain
■ Absence of spontaneous respiration
■ Absence of brainstem reflexes:
■ Midposition or pupils fixed and dilated
■ No corneal, gag, or cough reflexes
■ Absence of spontaneous oculocephalic (doll’s eye phenomenon) reflex
■ No vestibular response to caloric stimulation
■ Isoelectric or flat electroencephalogram (EEG)
■ Absent cerebral blood flow
These criteria vary from state to state.
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