Letter: Transplant consent
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: The recent correspondence regarding organ transplantation has been interesting, and in part alarming. To me, as a nurse, it seems that medical science and technology have progressed with little regard for ethical values.
At the start of my nursing training I was taught to have just as much respect for the dead as the living, and the deceased patient was always left for an hour before our final caring was carried out. Over the years I worked in many units, and never met one nurse who challenged this approach. More recently, in charge of wards which received people with head injuries, that is potential organ donors, a problem arose.
I know that relatives never had the procedure for organ removal fully explained to them - nor did they ask for it. They assumed that their loved ones would be dead in the commonly understood sense, and at this tragic and emotional time it was sometimes a help to them to feel that their bereavement could help some other family.
Mr T T King (letter, 16 March) is correct when he says that many nurses dislike the use of beating-heart donors. We have a much closer relationship with patients and their relatives than the medical staff and find it alien to the principles and practice of nursing. I completed my career in the hospice movement, where people are allowed to die peacefully, and I just pray that sooner rather than later and alternative to live transplant surgery will be found.
In the meantime everyone should be offered full details of the procedure currently used before being issued with a donor card. They would then be giving informed consent.
Mrs SHEILA RING
Chaldon, Surrey
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments