Question

You are transporting a victim from a motor vehicle collision and their condition is deteriorating rapidly. From your​ experience, you do NOT think this patient will survive this transport and he will likely be arresting soon. You note on the​ victim's driver's license that they are an organ donor. You can help facilitate these wishes​ by:

A.
transporting them to another facility than the trauma center to which you are going.
B.
try to contact a family member of the patient and discuss the​ patient's wishes so that you can alert the hospital when you arrive.
C.
calling ahead and notifying the receiving facility of the​ patient's organ donor status as this may speed up the process and potentially harvest more organs.
D.
let the facility know on your arrival only if the patient codes in the ambulance.

Answer 1

In a critical situation where a victim's condition is deteriorating rapidly and they are an organ donor, you can help facilitate their wishes by transporting them to another facility, contacting a family member to discuss their wishes, and calling ahead to notify the receiving facility of their organ donor status.

Step-by-step explanation:

Transporting a Victim with Deteriorating Condition

In this situation, where the victim's condition is deteriorating rapidly and they are likely to arrest soon, you can help facilitate their wishes as an organ donor by:

1. Transporting them to another facility than the trauma center you were initially going to. This may be a designated organ transplant center that can better handle the situation and ensure that their organs can be harvested properly.
2. Contacting a family member of the patient and discussing their wishes. This will help you gain information about the patient's desires regarding organ donation, and you can alert the hospital when you arrive about the patient's status as an organ donor.
3. Calling ahead and notifying the receiving facility of the patient's organ donor status. This can speed up the process and potentially allow for more organs to be harvested, saving and improving the lives of other patients.

It's important to consider the victim's wishes and act in their best interest while ensuring proper communication with the receiving facility. Time is of the essence in this critical situation.

Answer 2

Try to contact a family member of the patient and discuss the​ patient's wishes so that you can alert the hospital when you arrive. Thus option B is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

Contacting a family member to discuss the patient's wishes is the most ethical and respectful approach in this situation. It allows for honoring the patient's intentions regarding organ donation while also preparing the hospital for the imminent arrival of a critically deteriorating patient. Notifying the hospital ahead of time ensures that appropriate measures can be taken promptly upon arrival, potentially maximizing the viability of organ donation while also offering support to the family during this distressing time.

In a scenario where a patient's condition is rapidly deteriorating and the possibility of cardiac arrest during transport is high, swift actions are crucial. Contacting a family member serves multiple purposes—it respects the patient's wishes, facilitates organ donation, and informs the hospital of the incoming critical case. Calculating the limited time available, considering the urgency, and respecting the patient's choice of organ donation, contacting the family member stands as the most compassionate and pragmatic approach in this critical situation. This decision aligns with medical ethics, ensuring that the patient's wishes are considered and respected while optimizing the potential for organ donation to help others in need. Thus option B is correct.