LAUSR

Spain has probably achieved its high rates in terms of both the number of donors per million inhabitants and the number of organ and tissue transplants thanks to a gradual and well conceived adaptation process on the part of the National Transplant Organization (Organización Nacional de Trasplantes) -known internationally as the ‘‘Spanish Transplant Model’’. This model has identified the physicians, nurses and healthcare assistant staff working in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) as the ideal professionals for coordinating the donation-transplant process. Although these activities were initially the responsibility of Nephrology, due to its implication in renal transplants, over the years multidisciplinary interactions and the rapid decision making that characterizes critical patient care have given ICU professionals the skills and attitudes needed to carry out these same activities in potential organ and tissue donors. Implementation of the different donor modalities -both brain death and non-heart-beating donation -as well as intensive care oriented toward donation, have made it