BRAIN DEATH

Course overview

BRAIN DEATH IS BOTH A LEGAL AND CLINICAL TERM. THE TERM HAS BEEN PRESENT IN MEDICAL LITERATURE AND TEXTS FOR MANY YEARS AS PART OF THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONERS ON UNIFORM STATE LAWS IN 1980 UNTIL THE UNIFORM DETERMINATION OF DEATH ACT (UDDA) WAS DRAFTED. THIS TERM WAS LATER ADOPTED BY THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION. THE ACT WAS DRAFTED IN RESPONSE TO MEDICAL ADVANCES IN LIFE SUPPORT IN THE LATE 1970S THAT ALLOWED FOR COMPLETE RESPIRATORY AND CIRCULATORY SUPPORT DESPITE THE COMPLETE CESSATION OF BRAIN FUNCTION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CRITERIA FOR BRAIN DEATH AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE LEGAL AND CLINICAL TERMS.