Ethical Considerations in Organ Transplant

Organ transplantation is a surgical operation done whereby a bodily organ, such as the heart, liver, kidneys, skin, or parts of the eye, is moved from one person, who is an organ donor, to another person who is suffering from organ failure (Kobashigawa et al., 2019). Organ transplantation has been a successful operation for close to 50 years, according to the World Health Organization. Ethical considerations are at the forefront when dealing with organ transplant patients. Such may include patient satisfaction, especially when there are shortages of organs, which drives most people into the trafficking of human body organs. Nurses should, therefore, be aware of all ethics surrounding organ transplants to ensure patient safety and avoid bias. This essay seeks to explain and highlight the different ethical considerations in organ transplant, the roles along with the responsibilities of nurses, determine concepts and the styles of learning, and determine patient needs through analysis, prioritization, decision making and problem-solving.

Organ transplant is a clinically relevant procedure as it has been shown to save the lives of patients suffering from terminal illnesses due to organ failure. Over the past few years, solid organ transplantation has improved the quality of life in both adults and children. Kidney transplants have improved lives among the elderly suffering from kidney failure. This procedure is the miracle of the twentieth century (Kobashigawa et al., 2019). The World Health Organization records a significant increase in patient survival, the quality of life globally, and a reduction of comorbidities (World, 2020). Patients eligible for transplant are those who have suffered severe organ failure and are on the verge of death or permanent disability. Such patients are on the waiting list, awaiting organs from eligible candidates.

The greatest challenge in organ transplant is that the number of donors is less than that of patients needing organs. In the United States, it is estimated that 21 people die as they wait for organs (World, 2020). The candidates have to be in healthy clinical conditions to increase the chances of survival of the recipient.

Anyone can be a potential candidate for an organ transplant. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network reviews organs relevant to the blood type, organ size, and type of organ to meet the recipient’s needs best (Cengiz & Wareham, 2020). Nurses and medical practitioners are responsible for understanding the ethical guidelines surrounding organ transplants. For instance, patients needing organs must be registered members recorded on the waiting list, which is a key requirement for transplant. Nurses have the major responsibility of caring for caring for critically ill patients, which includes the donors and the potential recipients. According to the National Organ Transplant Act, there should be “equity”, “utility”, and “respect for persons” receiving organ transplants (Cengiz & Wareham, 2020). Ethical principles must be generally understood to understand patient needs and help in decision-making. Utility refers to the ability to consider the probability of harm and benefit and the quantity of both. The utility principle incorporates beneficence as it requires one to do good for the patient and specifies that organ transplantation is expected to bring out “good” improved quality of life (Cengiz & Wareham, 2020). Thus, the allocation process should consider the potential consequences of benefit and harm.

The role of nurses is to understand that not all good can be met and that potential harm may result in catastrophic consequences. The nursing profession is a continuous learning process.

Nurses should thoroughly exhaust all available options before communicating with the patient when determining potential organ donor recipients.

The patient’s family should also be informed in a manner they understand to make an informed decision. During this time, the nurses should provide emotional and psychological support and reassure the family of their support (Vlaisavljevic et al., 2020). The National Organ Transplant Act effectively expresses equitable allocation of organs for transplant. There should be fairness in determining patients eligible for organ transplants. This specifically involves allocating organs according to the period on the waiting list (Cengiz & Wareham, 2020). Nurses express their concerns about having difficulties meeting patient needs, especially in critical patient care. They are equipped with the knowledge to care for patients until they are pronounced dead. In addition, the nurses are responsible for caring for the family members of both the donor and the potential recipient up until the moment of death (Tocher et al., 2019). The nurses are