One question that we often get asked about organ donation is "if I sign up as a donor will doctors be less likely to work to save my life?" The answer is absolutely NO! This is an urban myth that prevents a lot of people from signing up to be organ donors.
The reality is that that the medical team treating you is completely separate from the transplant team that would evaluate your organs to see if they are viable. The treatment team is dedicated to your recovery and governed by the decisions of your health care agent or proxy.
Moreover, in order for a person to become an organ donor, blood and oxygen must flow through the organs until the time of recovery to ensure viability. This requires that in order for a person to be an actual organ donor they must die under circumstances that have resulted in an irreparable neurological injury, usually from massive trauma to the brain such as aneurysm, stroke or automobile accident.
Donation is only considered after all efforts to save the patient’s life have been exhausted, tests are performed to confirm the absence of brain or brain stem activity, and brain death has been declared.
The reality is that that the medical team treating you is completely separate from the transplant team that would evaluate your organs to see if they are viable. The treatment team is dedicated to your recovery and governed by the decisions of your health care agent or proxy.
Moreover, in order for a person to become an organ donor, blood and oxygen must flow through the organs until the time of recovery to ensure viability. This requires that in order for a person to be an actual organ donor they must die under circumstances that have resulted in an irreparable neurological injury, usually from massive trauma to the brain such as aneurysm, stroke or automobile accident.
Donation is only considered after all efforts to save the patient’s life have been exhausted, tests are performed to confirm the absence of brain or brain stem activity, and brain death has been declared.
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