ICU and You · Mnemonic No. 51

Organ donation

One word carries the whole ICU donor pathway: DONATION.

D
RecogniseDevastating illness or injury — recognise the potential organ donor
O
Refer earlyOrgan & Tissue Donation Service — refer before you speak to the family
N
Determine deathNeurological or circulatory determination — brain death, or DCD
A
The requestAsk well — check the AODR first, use a trained requester, and decouple the death and donation conversations
T
AuthorisationThe legal step — authorisation by the senior available next of kin, then tissue typing and serology
I
PreserveIschaemia clock — minimise warm time; cool and preserve
O
OptimiseOptimise the donor — the rule of 100s, DI, hormones, warming
N
FamilyNotify and honour — support the family; follow-up and review

Challenge of the week

Where's the weak link?

Eight steps — but which one is most often dropped, or done poorly, in real ICU practice? Tap the step you'd name, tell me why, and I'll publish the most thought-provoking answers.

DRecognise ORefer early NDetermine death AThe request TAuthorisation IPreserve OOptimise NFamily

Each tap opens a reply straight to me with your chosen step filled in — just add your reasoning and send.