Donation after cardiac death: ethical dilemmas and implications for advanced practice nurses.
Donation after cardiac death has always presented ethical concerns among health care providers. As advanced practice nurses and critical care nurses, it is our responsibility to ensure that health care providers and families are educated about the process and that we remain advocates for the potential donors. This article reviews the donation after cardiac death process, provides a donation after cardiac death hypothetical case report and its outcome, and addresses the ethical concerns associated with donation after cardiac death from both opponents' and proponents' points of view. It will also discuss the benefits of obtaining a palliative care consult and the roles of the advanced practice nurse in the care of the potential donor.
Edward Neurosciences Institute, Edward Hospital, Naperville, IL 60540, USA. caryn1277@aol.com
Caryn S
CS
Everidge
D057179:Advanced Practice Nursing / Q000941:ethics; D003643:Death; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000941:ethics*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence