If you were a doctor,would you give a Jehova's Witness a blood transfusion or not?

A typical interview qn....was wondering what your opinions are....Jehovah's Witnessess are not allowed to get blood transfusions, but if you were a doctor and such a patients life was in your hands, what would you do

By doing a procedure on a patient without his/her consent the physician and anyone who participates can be charged with assult and battery. This does not apply however during emergent situations. For example a unconscious woman comes into the ER post car accident and in order to save her blood must be administered. If there is no family available to sign the consent and there is no living will or DNR order in the patients belongings than blood will be administered.

If the patient or the power of attourney doesn't want blood prodcuts and understands the risks of not receiving them there really isn't anything else we can do. It's entirely a personal choice... just as writing a DNR is.

I have worked in the medical field and you cannot give a patient a blood transfusion without the patient or power of attorney's consent.

You can easily compromise. If you have a good blood volume rarely will a patient die from very low Red blood cells.
Good hydration and oxygen can resolve any acute situation.
After that you have to go by what patients want. Doctors that can't stand the heat can treat other patients.

that is a hard question to answer. if the patient was woke and aware of what was going on, and made it clear he was Jehovah Witness. i would have to accept his decision and make sure the nurse made him as comfortable as possible. if the patient was not then it would depend on the situation. i guess that is why u are ask what your religion is upon entering a hospital. never really gave that to much thought. why they ask, what religion u r. i guess the hospital does not want to get sued.

I'm going to be a doctor, and I will no help people who do not want to be save like them.

No.

I am a Christian, one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Ultimately, part of the oath "do no harm" extends, in my opinion, to honoring the patient's beliefs.

If the patients life is not in inmediate danger, the wise and legal thing, is NOT to transfuse with blood to a conscious person over 18 years of age and CAPABLE of taking decisions. (and having him or her signing a release form for the Hospital and medical team involved)
If you do the transfusion against his/her will, you can be charged legally (and succesfully) with battery and assault.

Exceptions to the rule are:
1.- a minor or underage person in urgent need of transfusion (even against their parents will, because the minor is under the State protection, as it happens in children victims of abuse).-

2.- An unconscious person that needs a transfussion, regardless of religion.

3,- A person who needs urgent blood transfussion, and is mentally incapable of taking decisions over his/ her body (the principle of beneficence).......

All the examples above, are under the State mandatory rules of medical obligations, and NOT performing a transfussion, may result in prosecution for medical negligence (its interesting isnt it?)

You cannot legally give ANYONE (with a few exceptions) a blood transfusion without that person's informed consent.

The exceptions include minor children, those deemed incompetent to make decisions regarding their health care, anyone with a court order requiring transfusion, or in emergency situations where the recipient's preferences are not known.

As physicians, though, we have the right to refuse care to these patients. There was a case in my hospital not long ago where a JW needed heart bypass surgery but refused transfusion. The cardiac surgeon refused to do the case, because he knew transfusion would be required, and did not want to be the agent of the man's death.

In anesthesia, some of us will do JW patients and others will not. Most of the time it isn't an issue, because most surgeries don't involve transfusions. Some JW will permit cell saver blood to be used (we transfuse them their own blood back as it is lost during surgery) and others will not. It certainly makes my job more difficult, but I haven't refused one yet. They must have a signed Witness card or legal document on the chart, though, or I won't agree to not transfuse them.

no, i wouldnt. must respect patient autonomy.

I would consent to the laws of the state. But, hypothetically, if it were up to me to make the decision, here's what I would do:

If it were a minor, I would give them blood! Heck even into their twenties, since they've been so sheltered that they can't think for themselves even into adulthood. If they've chosen that religion, that's one thing. But when someone is raised in it, they are just trying to make mommy and daddy happy! And by the time the are adults, the only friends they have are JW's since they've been taught that " 'worldly' people are bad association!" With a closed-minded segregation like that, they could be 30+ before they realize that they've been duped!

Above the age of 25, I would just beg and plead and hope that they would open their ears enough to hear why I know their religion is false (using the contradictions in their publications alone)!

I would give them a blood transfusion, once they didn't feel I was disrespecting them. I would do it because, even though they believe it's wrong (and I respect their belief), I don't believe it's wrong.