Explain your thought process when deciding who will receive the liver transplant.
You are a member of a hospital ethics committee tasked with deciding which patient will receive a liver transplant between two possible recipients. Both patients have a blood type compatible with the donated organ and both patients are likely to die within the next two weeks without a transplant. The liver is not large enough to be split between the two patients. All other treatment options have been exhausted for both patients. A liver transplant is their last option for life. As a healthcare leader, you must decide which patient will receive the liver and which patient will not.Potential recipients:34 year-old woman, married, three children ages 13, 8, and 5. Works as an elementary school teacher. Husband is a manager at Wal-Mart. Low to middle class income. Liver failure is secondary to Hepatitis C contracted after a blood transfusion during complications of her last delivery. No tobacco, no illegal drug use. Rare alcohol use, approximately two times per year.40 year-old man, widowed, two children, ages 19 and 12. Nineteen year old is in the Air Force. Works as a contractor for home construction. Owns his own business with four employees. Middle to upper class income. Liver failure due to Wilson’s disease. Drinks an occasional beer, approximately one time per month. Uses marijuana for symptom control. Church leader.Explain your thought process when deciding who will receive the liver transplant. What questions will you ask and what ethical theory will guide your decision-making process.
Answer & Explanation
Solved by verified expertWhen it comes to organ transplants, a number of factors are typically considered in the decision-making process. These may include the urgency of the patient’s medical condition, the severity of the patient’s illness, the patient’s medical history, the patient’s ability to tolerate surgery and recovery, the patient’s a
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Step-by-step explanation
ge, and the availability of suitable donor organs.
In addition to these medical factors, ethical and social considerations may also come into play, such as whether the patient has engaged in behaviors that put them at increased risk for illness or whether the patient has a history of substance abuse.
Ultimately, the decision about who receives a liver transplant is a complex and multifaceted one that involves input from a range of medical professionals and takes into account a variety of factors. It is a decision that is made with the goal of saving lives and improving health outcomes for those who are in need of a transplant.
