Without written consent, authorization to donate organs from a brain-dead patient is typically sought from the patient's:

Without written consent, authorization to donate organs from a brain-dead patient is typically sought from the patient's:

• A. Her husband
• B. The patient's physician
• C. The hospital administrator
• D. The state governor

Answer: (A)

The main idea is who has the authority to authorize organ donation when the patient cannot decide. In the absence of a written directive, the closest legally recognized decision-maker—usually the spouse—is approached to determine the patient’s wishes and give consent for donation. The spouse is typically prioritized because they are most likely to know the patient’s preferences and are deemed the appropriate person to make medical decisions for the patient when no advance directive exists. The other options—the hospital administrator, the physician acting alone, or a state governor—do not have the authority to grant organ-donor consent in this situation. The physician will discuss donation with the family, and if there’s a donor registry or advance directive, that guidance would take precedence, but without such written consent, the spouse is the typical source of authorization.

The main idea is who has the authority to authorize organ donation when the patient cannot decide. In the absence of a written directive, the closest legally recognized decision-maker—usually the spouse—is approached to determine the patient’s wishes and give consent for donation. The spouse is typically prioritized because they are most likely to know the patient’s preferences and are deemed the appropriate person to make medical decisions for the patient when no advance directive exists. The other options—the hospital administrator, the physician acting alone, or a state governor—do not have the authority to grant organ-donor consent in this situation. The physician will discuss donation with the family, and if there’s a donor registry or advance directive, that guidance would take precedence, but without such written consent, the spouse is the typical source of authorization.