Nurses’ Recognition and Care to Brain Dead Potential Organ Donors and their Families

Globally, there is a problem of disequilibrium between donation and organ transplantation, this equilibrium is remarkable in Japan. Especially there are few donation from brain death, and it was needed to clarify nurses’ recognition in organ transplantation and required care. The goal of this study was to clarify the role of nurses in organ transplantation nursing, as well as the required care for patients' families and support for nurses in order to improve quality of care.

We conducted this study in Western Japan over the course of two months in 2019. A researcher conducted a semi-qualitative interview with organ transplantation nurses to learn about their perceptions of nursing, required family care, and needed support for nurses.

Many nurses felt unprepared to care for their families, and some faced ethical dilemmas. Even if some nurses struggled with their own beliefs or religion, they were responsible in their care of patients or family members. Nurses considered practice of care that considers families' feelings, support of decision-making, and care that allows families to live positively following transplantation to be essential care. Nurses required transplantation education, an increase in staff members, the opportunity to communicate dilemmas, and mental care. Nurses were aware of the necessity of decision-making, but they also felt a lack of resources for family care or dilemmas. To promote high-quality nursing and organ donation or transplantation, education about transplantation, including family care, and management of resolution of dilemma or mental health may be necessary.