by highdose 7 Replies latest jw friends
Having spoken to a few nurses about the whole "blood factions" thing i find they just look blank...
I was wondering is this normal? Or is Blood factions just a made up JW term that bears no resemblance to real medical life?
Calling all to answer and especailly those in the medical field please...
Blood fractionation is simply breaking the blood down into its component parts.
If you think of blood as a liquid comprising of many suspended components, each of those components can be taken out of solution different methodologies. centrifuge the blood and the the main components separate the red cells white cells platelets and plasma.
The plasma contains proteins such as albumins and immunoglobulins. The red cells contain haemoglobin. The white cell are primarily responsible for antibody producution and phagocytic acitivity.
All these fractions have medical uses.
I do not think that Medics can have a handle on the J.W doctrine of which fractions are acceptable, but then neither do JW's.
Or rather no one can understand the reasoning of the doctrine, or offer any bible support for it.
It has now degenerated as a doctrine to the level of farce, and would be funny if it were not so serious.
The son of an old friend of mine, both still in, recently refused ALL blood or blood products, he is confused by the fractions thing, and feels that the old "Abstain" doctrine (which was in error too, of course) is the one which will certainly please god.
He survived, but the present fudge helps no one, he may have died, and many certainly will because the cowardly, lying W.T will not say that their doctrine on blood was rubbish from the start, and that the bible has nothing to say on the medicinal use of blood, and approves of the use of blood to save life, i.e J.C's blood.
The Governing Body and their legal advisers have blood on their hands, if there was a just God they would pay.
Wobble
I think the medical profession should start calling blood transfusions 'blood fractions', because it's only a 'fraction' of someone's entire blood amount. This way, JWs can have their transfusion 'fractions' and everything will be hunky dory.
Around here (Pennsylvania), "medic" is short for Paramedic. This is a pre-hospital health provider who is generally allowed to start IVs and push certain drugs through them. However, blood and or blood products are not carried by paramedics.
There are several kinds of pre-hospital medical responders, First Responders (approx 50 hours of 1st Aid training), EMT-B (140 hours of training), EMT-P (paramedic, 1 year after EMT-B) and pre-hospital trama nurse ( 6 months after Registered Nurse training).
I would guess that a Registered Nurse could administer blood products under the supervision of a Dr. In that case, I would rather imagine that they have some knowledge of Wt objections to transfusions. I can say this though, as I'm an EMT-B, the general tone of our protocols is in an life emergency we are to take what ever measures necesary within our scope of practice (up to the level of our training) to protect/maintain life. So, lets say that a person is in a car wreck, lots of trama and bleeding and UNCONSCIENCE, they are taken to the ER and need blood to maintain life. If the doctors do not have a valid document not granting permission to do a transfusion and the Dr orders one and the patient is a JW, the JW is basically SOL. If they have one of those no transfusion bracelets and it falls off, they are SOL with little future recourse. If a friend or relative insists no bood, the Dr is probably going to ignore them unless it is a minor child's legal guardian and even then the Dr may try to have guardianship revoked. So, if you ask me, a JW who is really serious about not having a transfusion, they should have directions to the effect tatoo in 4 places, but that would also be against WT rules. I have a JW friend with a no blood keychain. From a first responder perspectice, this is useless. If I ever saw one in a car ignition, I would throw it as far as I could.
In EMS, if it ain't in writing, it don't exist.
As many of you know my father is a hemotologist and oncologist. I haven't brought this subject up in years, because he has some health issues and I don't want to watch his head explode. Medical science does not recognize the division of blood into "major" and "minor" fractions. Also whole blood is almost never given (as pointed out above). When you donate blood it is split into its component fractions and the doctor will order a transfusion of what is needed, not all of it. One unit of whole blood can be given to numerous patients as a result.
Put simply, the Watchtower's position on the subject makes no sense in the real world.
I have a JW friend with a no blood keychain. From a first responder perspectice, this is useless.
That is so true! Speaking as an ER RN, if you come in unconscious, and you need blood, you're getting blood! We don't look through your belongings to try to find your card. A keychain won't make a difference either. First priority is saving lives.
I agree with JeffT. I have administered blood to patients in many forms- red blood cells, plasma, platelets, etc. It's all considered blood/blood products. I was very surprised that the WT decided to allow certain things, but still holds fast on getting whole blood. It is ridiculous to say you can separate out the components of blood, but not take them in their original form.
I am a Neonatal Intensive Care nurse. I've given many blood transfusion--whole blood, packed red blood cells, plasma, platelets, etc. I've never heard the term "blood fractions" until coming to this board. As far as I'm concerned that's something the JWs made up. Along with all their rules and fantasies.
