Organ Transplantation and Donation - Essay Example

If one gives consent for use of their organ following such a person’s death, this becomes sufficient for donation to proceed as long as such a person qualifies as being competent. Even the relatives do not have any right to challenge this decision. This consent could be given through registration as a donor or the donor informing close relatives and friends. Under circumstances where no records to prove the wishes of the dead exist, relatives could be approached to give their consent, the reason why Olson (2001) indicates that relatives need to make a decision on organ donation immediately after their loved one dies. This legal approach is protected by the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act in the US (Kerridge, Saul, Lowe, McPhee, & Williams, 2002). The organ donation legal guideline matches the nursing principle of autonomy. According to Stacy and Lough (2013), autonomy entails an agreement into which a nurse enters to respect the right of the patient to take action or make a decision without interference or coercion. In the same way, donors have the right to donate their organs and should consent to such action without which it would not be executed.

Statistics indicate an increasing gap between the number of organ recipients and organ donors. As observed by Brezina (2010), the number of organs from dead and living donors falls far below the number of patients waiting for transplants. Because of this high demand, there has been a rise in the black market business for human body organs. Kerridge et al. (2002) observe that the high prices that these organs fetch encourage nurses and other healthcare practitioners to remove organs from dead bodies, even where there was no consent to do so, for their own good, giving the example of a kidney which would cost between $ 1,000 and 3,000 in the black market. Such acts go against nurses’ obligation to treat a dead client with dignity and respect.

In light of these findings, organ donation would be something that I would advocate for, particularly for dying patients. Instead of letting healthy organs go to waste rotting in our graves, such could be removed from the dead and transplanted to needy patients who would hence be given a chance to live healthier and longer. In fact, even for those still living, if organ donation would not interfere with the donor’s health - Olson (2001) documents the possibility of donating an organ causing health complications to the donor - then it should give much satisfaction to donate such an organ and give other persons greater chances in life. However, the ethical principle of fidelity which dictates the need for loyalty, fairness, truthfulness, and dedication to patients should guide healthcare professionals against trading in human body organs on the black market.