The nurse is caring for a patient who just died.Which action should the nurse take first to determine if the patient is an organ or tissue donor?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse needs to determine if patient is an organ/tissue donor.Federal law mandates that family members be given a chance to authorize organ/tissue donation.The nurse should then call the organ/tissue request and procurement team (consult facility policy).Discussing organ donation and obtaining consent are tasks that the nurse cannot delegate because they require clinical judgment and critical thinking skills and are usually done by a special team.A copy of the patient's driver's license can be impractical or impossible to obtain soon enough to donate viable organs; generally the family knows the patient's wishes about organ donation.If the spouse is the patient's legal representative,he or she can provide consent.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Just Died