Sage Journals Https Lavc If A Person In Needs A
discussion prompt
- Recall this week’s presentation. Does a person in need of an organ transplant have a moral right to obtain that transplant, supposing the availability of the needed organ?
- How should we choose who gets a transplant, supposing that there are not enough organs for all who need them?
- Remember to reply to at least two of your classmates.
comment 1
If a person is in need of an organ transplant, they should have the right to request one. If their request will be upheld, that all depends on their medical history. Just because they need the transplant, does not give them the moral right to obtain one. For example, if someone has a history of substance abuse, alcohol abuse, or smoking, they will automatically be at the bottom of the list (iof they are even lucky enough to be on it in the first place). The reasoning behind this issue is because it shows their responsibility and willingness to take care of themselves and their new organ. No matter how much a person may have changed for the better, a person with a ‘clean’ history will always have the advantage.
As of February 2021, there are more than 107,000 people in need of an organ transplant (HRSA, 2021). I believe that the factors provided by UNOS on how they decide who will receive an organ transplant is sufficient for how we should choose. They base their decision on how long a person has been on the waiting list, how urgent their medical condition is, if they are a match based on blood type, tissue type, and size, and the distance between you and the donor (SSM Health, 2021). The fact that there are not enough people to donate their organs can be either a good or bad sign. Good because not as many people are dying with healthy organs, but bad because there are not enough to give to those who need them. Granted, there are types of donations that a person can stay alive with, such as a partial donation from a piece of an organ or giving one kidney.
As a nurse, it is our responsibility to advocate for our patients as much as possible and also keep them and their loved ones comforted during this difficult time. It may seem to them as if the time just doesn’t pass by fast enough, as it is a long and grueling process most of the time, so we must make sure they know we are advocating for them behind the scenes as well.
References:
Organ Donation Statistics. (2021). Retrieved March 1, 2021 from
https://www.organdonor.gov/statistics-stories/statistics.html
SSM Health. (2021). Organ Transplant Process. Retrieved March 1, 2021 from
https://www.ssmhealth.com/transplant-services/about-organ-transplant
comment 2
If organs are available for recipients who are in need of an organ transplant I see no reason why they shouldn’t be used in order to save their life or improve the quality of life of the patient. The acceptability of an organ transplant depends on the person’s social, culture and religion, many people are not willing to be donors because of some of these reasons (Zurani, 2010). Transplantation ethics is focused on defending and advocating right and wrong conduct related to organ donation, the demand for organ transplantation increases so there needs to be new innovative laws and policies for increasing the supply of organs which are founded on the principles of altruism and utilitarianism. Ethically doctors have a responsibility in adhering to medicines’ unique moral obligations, therefore the care should not be modified or affected by the judgment as to the patient’s worthiness (Dalal, 2015).
The way we choose transplants should be based on the patient’s needs as well as how likely they are to survive and care for their new organ transplant. Someone who has a history of drug abuse will have a higher chance of not being very successful at taking care of their donated organ than someone who has lived a healthy lifestyle free of drugs and toxins. The way organs are distributed should be based on how much the patient needs the organ as well as meeting the criteria for an organ transplant. The gap between organ demand is widening as time goes by it is very important to review the ethics of new laws and policies in organ donations (Dalal, 2015).
References
Dalal, A. (2015). Philosophy of organ donation: Review of ethical facets. US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4478599/
Zurani, N. (2010). Organ transplants: Ethical, social and Religious Issues in a Multicultural Society. Sage Journals https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1010539509357446