Referral of a potential organ donor
The referral of a potential donor must be carried out as promptly as possible after identification. It should be done by a member of the treatment team or, depending on the institution, by the nurse consultant in organ donation and care partnerships/resource nurse.
For health centres with no dedicated personnel (Nurse consultant in organ donation and care partnerships/resource nurses), the potential donor is referred directly to Transplant Québec.
For health centres with dedicated personnel, the referral can be made by the institution’s Nurse consultant in organ donation and care partnerships/resource nurse.
Coroner
In cases where the circumstances surrounding the death require the coroner’s opinion (mysterious or violent cause of death or circumstances), the attending physician must contact the coroner to obtain his or her permission for an organ or tissue donation. Coroners do not typically oppose donations, but may impose certain conditions to enable them to complete their investigation. For more information, refer to the notice published in April 2006 by AQESSS entitled Avis juridique: les exigences reliées à la détermination de la mort (*French version only).
For more information about coroners, visit: www.coroner.gouv.qc.ca.