How do I change my organ donor status?

Question

I'd rather my family decide, not my driver's license. I saw this program on how they took a patients organs prematurely and it made me question this practice. I'm in NJ, any info?

Answer 1

when u get a new license, tell them no.

Answer 2

First, let me clarify that I have spoken with firefighters, ER nurses and ambulance EMTs, and all of them have confirmed that they do not check your id before beginning to work on you. Second, the doctors who treat you are not the doctors who would perform an organ recovery if you were a potential organ donor. Last, you would have to be declared brain dead by two doctors in order for the organ recovery agency to be called to approach your family about the possibility of your becoming an organ donor (or for them to come recover if your state has first-person consent).

There is only one case that sounds like what you are speaking of. A Northern California doctor possibly gave sedatives to speed up someone's heart stopping during a rare type of organ donor case called Donation after Cardiac Death. In this case, someone with irreversible brain damage is taken off respiratory support, and their heart must stop beating within a specifc time frame. If it stops within the time frame, the organs are recovered. If it does not, then the organs are not recovered.

He did not take the organs prematurely - because the nurses recognized that what he was doing was unethical and violates the laws which organ recovery doctors are supposed to follow. They did not allow the recovery to occur (which is what should happen in a case like this, so we know the system is working).

With brain dead patients, sometimes people on respiratory support seem like they are alive - their heart is beating, the machine is making it seem like they're taking breaths because their chest moves up and down, they twitch, etc. They are not alive - my aunt was an organ donor and I can testify to the fact that it seemed like she was alive when she had already been declared brain dead. Brain death is death - even if the heart keeps beating after you remove the respiratory support. Irreversible brain damage is not brain death, but the fact is that person will never recover from being in a vegitative state.

This does not justify the doctor's actions, however, and if it is true that he did what is claimed, he should be prosecuted. Doctors in this field should be concerned with transparency and being ethical above all else - including recovering organs to save someone's life.

Answer 3

The status on your license doesn't actually give them the right to take your organs. By law, the decision has to be made by your next-of-kin regardless of your license. I've seen families decline organ donation even when the patient wanted to be a donor.

Answer 4

Usually in cases of organ donation, the next of kin must give permission even if the driver's license box is checked. Go to this website http://www.organdonor.gov/ for further instructions.

What you must do to become an organ donor, and the procedure for changing your status, may vary from state to state.

Answer 5

Take it off your driver's license. If you sent information in when you got your license, look on line to see how to rescind it. Then talk to your family about your wishes and know that often families will not follow through on this at that time.

Answer 6

Contact the organ donor register yourself and get your status changed that way.I have done the same thing as I don't want my organs taken from my body without someone else making that decision.

Answer 7

I agree with those people who said about your driver's licence.May I also suggest that you imform your family about your wishes concerning organ and tissue donation.It will be much easier for your famil y to respect your wishes if they are prepared ahead of time.Sometimes people just assume that "everyone knows how I thought about it" when in fact no one really did.Take care.

Answer 8

I agree with nursebunny. Someone still has to sign and give permission. The symbol on your license just makes it easier for the hospital to approach the family with your desire to donate.

Answer 9

contact the NJ health department or your local Red Cross.

Answer 10

Well I don t agree at all they will take the organs and you will not know about it and the person will be stuff with whatever. There isn t anymore honest people.