26:6-93 - Requirements relative to donations from individuals having an advance directive - New Jersey Statutes

26:6-93  Requirements relative to donations from individuals having an advance directive.

17.If a hospital patient who is a prospective donor has executed an advance directive for health care, or has otherwise specified by record the circumstances under which the patient would want life support to be withheld or withdrawn from that person, and the terms of the advance directive or other record are in conflict with the option of making an anatomical gift by precluding the administration of measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of a part for transplantation or therapy, the following requirements shall apply:

a.If the patient is determined to have decision making capacity pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1991, c.201 (C.26:2H-53 et seq.), then the patient shall, after consultation with the patient's attending physician about the donor option and all other relevant factors in end-of-life decision making, make a determination concerning the withholding or withdrawing of treatment pursuant to existing law;

b.If the patient is determined to lack decision making capacity pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1991, c.201 (C.26:2H-60), then an agent acting pursuant to the patient's advance directive or other record or, if no such agent has been designated by the patient or the agent is not reasonably available, another person authorized by law other than this act to make decisions on behalf of the patient with regard to the patient's health care shall act for the patient to resolve the conflict.

The parties specified in this subsection shall seek to resolve the conflict as set forth therein as expeditiously as possible.  Information relevant to the resolution of the conflict shall be obtained from the appropriate procurement organization and any other person authorized to make an anatomical gift for the patient pursuant to section 9 of this act.

Measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the part shall not be withheld or withdrawn from the patient prior to resolution of the conflict if the withholding or withdrawing is not contraindicated by the requirements of providing appropriate end-of-life care.

L.2008, c.50, s.17.