Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse (CCTN) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

A donor classified as an Expanded Criteria Donor (ECD) should meet certain criteria that typically include age and medical history factors. A crucial aspect of ECD classification is that the individual is typically over the age of 60 or has additional health conditions that may complicate the organ donation process.

When considering the criteria for ECD, the fact that a donor is under 60 years of age disqualifies them from this classification. This is because the ECD designation was established to increase the number of available organs by including donors who may not meet the standard criteria for organ donation due to age and/or certain health issues. Specifically, age under 60 years generally aligns with standard donor criteria, rather than expanded criteria, suggesting a higher likelihood of functioning organ viability post-transplant.

In contrast, factors such as a history of hypertension, the occurrence of a recent stroke, or having a creatinine level of less than 1.5 mg/dl, do not inherently exclude a donor from being considered an ECD, depending on the overall assessment of their health and organ function. Thus, the classification distinctly emphasizes that age is a primary determiner for ECD, with younger donors not fitting into this category.