Educational program of organ donation and transplantation at medical school

The Role of Knowledge on Nursing Students' Attitudes toward Organ Donation: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Nursing students constitute the future nursing workforce; their knowledge can readily influence potential donors' decisions on organ donation. This study aimed to assess nursing students' knowledge of organ donation, determine its impact on their attitude, and identify relevant factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional comparative study assessed the level of knowledge and attitude toward organ donation among nursing students using the following two questionnaires: (1) knowledge about organ donation and (2) attitudes toward posthumous organ donation. Non-probability convenience sampling was employed to collect data.

RESULTS

A total of 278 nursing students demonstrated a low level of knowledge on organ donation, with a score of 6.43 out of 15. This influenced their attitude toward organ donation (χ2 (3) = 33.91, p < 0.001). Nursing students who were willing to donate their organs showed higher knowledge (7.33 ± 3.23) compared to those who were not willing to donate their organs (5.21 ± 3.09), p < 0.001. Registered donors had higher knowledge (8.52 ± 2.99) than non-donors (5.80 ± 3.17), p < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though nursing students typically favor organ donation, findings have revealed a low knowledge score. Therefore, it is necessary to improve knowledge of organ donation through nursing curricula and research, which could potentially increase the number of donors among future nursing students and, by extension, the broader population.

Undergraduate Education in Transplantation

INTRODUCTION

Training in the transplants of organs, tissues, and cells as a therapeutic modality of multiple pathologies is essential in undergraduate education. The medical aspects typical of the theme are associated with ethical, legal, religious, and philosophical concerns, giving a holistic view of the process. We present a teaching model of the donation-transplant process with 15 years of experience.

METHODS

The subject of Organ, Tissue, and Cell Transplants began its activities in 2008. It is an elective, annual subject included in the last year of the medical career. Since its inception, it has established a continuous teaching methodology with a global approach to the donation and transplantation process.

RESULTS

During the last 15 years and until the moment of the presentation, 1057 students have registered for the subject, 80.6% (852) completed the requirements of approval of the course, 79.9% of the students presented for the final evaluation (681), and 96.4% (654) of the students passed the final assessment. The average final grade calculated was equal to 6.53 ± 2.9 points out of 10; 205 students (19.4%) still need to comply with the final evaluative instance.

CONCLUSION

The available literature has different training modalities, but none resembles the model presented. It is concluded that, during these 15 years, the pedagogic expectations in the training of human resources have been exceeded.

Construction of an Index System for Assessing Competences of Transplant Coordinators in China: A Delphi Survey

BACKGROUND

Transplant coordinators (TCs) play a pivotal role in the entire donation process. Their professional competences have a direct impact on donation rates. However, few specific indicators are available for assessing TCs' professional competence. Therefore, it is imperative to develop an assessment index system to measure their competence. Our objective was to construct an index system for assessing TCs' professional competences.

METHODS

Based on a literature review and semistructured interviews, a focus group and 12 TCs were enrolled to design the questionnaires. Then, a modified Delphi method was used. Two rounds of questionnaires were distributed to 21 experts from 7 provinces across multiple research areas between October 2020 and March 2021. The data were sorted and analyzed by a focus group.

RESULTS

A combined assessment index system, namely, APT, including 3 constructs, the admittance assessment model (henceforth A), practical operation assessment model (P), and thousand-point performance assessment model (T), was constructed. This APT index system consisted of 3 first-level items, 8 second-level items, and 34 third-level items.

CONCLUSIONS

The APT assessment system has been unanimously recognized by experts. This index system, as a precursor form, will further lay the foundation for formation of an assessment instrument and provide references for other countries.

Exploration of Profession Experience Among In-Hospital Organ Procurement Coordinators in China: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

The gap between the supply and demand of organs is continuously increasing. The emergence of organ procurement coordinators (OPCs), to a certain extent, has decreased the gap. In China, a majority of OPCs work in hospitals that are qualified for transplants, namely in-hospital OPCs (Ih-OPCs). Their profession experiences are closely related to donation rates and indirectly reveal aspects that should be further improved. However, no data are available in China. We sought to explore Ih-OPCs' subjective feeling of the practice experience and provide targeted interventions for administrators.

METHODS

A project team was established and then interview outlines were listed by virtue of discussion and literature review. Furthermore, a total of 13 Ih-OPCs were selected as participants for interview. After that, the conversation was analyzed and encoded, and themes were finally identified according to phenomenology.

RESULTS

A total of 3 themes including positive emotions, negative emotions, and personal needs were identified, which were furthermore divided into 7 minor themes ranging from professional identity, competence improvement, recruitment methods, quality of life, workload evaluation, career prospects, and training courses.

CONCLUSIONS

Social support and public understanding play a pivotal role in strengthening positive emotions. Meanwhile, the administrators should put more emphasis on negative emotions and personal needs, and management system should be further optimized.

Virtual student-transplant patient interactions empower patients and enhance student transplantation knowledge

INTRODUCTION

There is variation in exposure to transplantation in undergraduate medical education. We created a program pairing medical students with transplant patients for semi-structured, virtual encounters and studied the impact on both students and patients using qualitative content analysis.

METHODS

Fifty medical students were paired with transplant recipients and donors for non-medical virtual encounters. Separate focus groups were conducted, deidentified, and analyzed using a constant comparative method.

RESULTS

Three themes related to the student experience emerged: transplant-related relationships, a deeper understanding of the patient's journey to transplant, and alterations of their personal view of organ donation and transplantation. Three themes emerged from the patient's experiences: the benefits of conversations, the patient as a teacher, and spreading the message of organ donation and transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel program demonstrates that virtual student-patient interactions are a useful approach to engage patients and a unique way to teach medical students about transplantation and donation.

Medical Students and Patients Benefit from Virtual Non-Medical Interactions Due to COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Patient care restrictions created by the COVID-19 pandemic constrained medical students' ability to interact directly with patients. Additionally, organ transplant recipients faced increasing isolation due to the rise of telemedicine, the importance of social distancing and their immunosuppressed state. We created a pilot program to pair students with transplant patients for structured, virtual encounters and studied its impact on medical students and patients.

METHODS

In May 2020, medical students conducted virtual visits with patients via telephone or video conferencing. Patients and students were surveyed regarding their experiences and independent focus groups were conducted. The survey responses and focus group discussions were deidentified, transcribed, and analyzed for themes.

RESULTS

Ten participating students were in their first, second, or final year of medical school. The 14 patients were liver or kidney transplant recipients or kidney donors. All interactions lasted longer than 30 minutes, with 56% greater than 1 hour. Three themes emerged related to the student experience: improvement of their clinical communication skills, development of knowledge and attitudes related to organ transplantation and donation, and independent management of a patient encounter. Three themes related to the patient experience: appreciation of the opportunity to share their personal patient experience to help educate future physicians, a cathartic and personally illuminating experience and an opportunity to share the message of donation.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot program provided a novel opportunity for virtual student-patient interactions that was feasible, well-received, and mutually beneficial. The use of virtual non-medical patient experiences allowed for experiential learning during which students learned about both clinical medicine and enhanced their communication skills directly from patients. Additionally, patients were able to engage with medical students in a new way, as teachers of clinical interactions, and reported a high level of satisfaction in addition to deriving personal benefit.

Medical Students' Attitudes Toward Deceased Organ Donation in China: A Cross Section Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Influenced by traditional culture and lack of knowledge among Chinese, China has a low rate of organ donation after death. The aims of this study were to assess the attitude toward deceased organ donation among medical students in China and to identify the possible factors related with this attitude.

METHODS

An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire comprising 15 questions was distributed to 1500 first-to-fifth grade medical students, with 300 students in each grade.

RESULTS

The response rate was 90.9% (n = 1363). The level of knowledge about organ donation and the level of knowledge about the transplantation law were positively related with the seniority (P < .001). The attitude was favorable in 62.7% (n = 855) and against in 37.3% (n = 508) of the respondents. The attitude was related with family discussion about organ donation (P = .002), experience of blood donation (P = .004), willingness to accept a donated deceased organ (P < .001), and the decision of donating the organs of a family member (P < .001). No evidence of relation was detected for age, sex, grade, being an only child, coming from a city or village, knowledge of organ transplantation, knowledge of the transplantation law, and experience of organ donation and transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Most medical students in China had a favorable attitude toward deceased organ donation. This attitude was positively related with family factors, experience of blood donation, and willingness to accept a donated deceased organ. This attitude did not increase with seniority and a rising level of medical knowledge.

Exploring Medical Students' Perceptions of Organ Procurement: Need for a Formalized Medical Student Curriculum

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the medical student experience with a deceased-donor multiorgan procurement program at a single center. The program provided the opportunity to assist with organ procurement, but no formal curriculum was offered.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS

In 2018, medical students who registered for the program between 2014 and 2017 completed a voluntary survey about the experience and its impact on surgery interest and organ donation knowledge and advocacy.

RESULTS

Of 139 respondents, 53.3% (N = 74) of students participated in at least one procurement. The experience was resoundingly positive: 81.7% (N = 58) believed it exceeded expectations, with less than one-third missing class and only 4.3% (N = 3) reporting a negative impact on academics. Although 60.6% (N = 43) students studied prior to procurement, 57.8% (N = 41) expressed the need for increased preparation. Preferred learning modalities included videos, discussion with the transplant fellows, and focused anatomy overview. Following participation, 53.5% (N = 38) of students had increased interest in pursuing an acting internship and career in surgery. However, participation was not associated with improved familiarity with organ donation concepts or advocacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding a structured curriculum may turn medical students from passive observers into active learners, maximizing the educational value of procurement and better equipping future providers to promote organ donation.

Fostering cognizance of organ donation: An education-based approach

INTRODUCTION

The knowledge of health professionals and trainees is of great importance as they could be very effective sources of motivation for the general population toward organ donation. So, a study was planned to improve the perceptions of students and faculty about organ donation.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

A program-based educational intervention was implemented in a dental institute by a medical professional. It was attended by 168 participants, including interns, postgraduate students, and faculty members. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 27 questions about knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of organ donation was used. Statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software Version 23, IBM. The difference in knowledge and attitude according to various demographic factors was determined by applying independent t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. A Chi-square test was used to assess the association between demographic variables and willingness to sign organ donor card. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULT

The mean knowledge score of the study participants was 9.6 and the mean attitude score was 3.4 at the end of educational program. When association between willingness to sign organ card was assessed with age and gender, it was found that no such association existed. Statistically significant difference was found among males and females when compared for knowledge (P = 0.006) scores and among education group when compared for attitude (P = 0.0238).

CONCLUSION

The present educational intervention for improving the perceptions of students and faculty about organ donation was successful as the study population was able to achieve sound knowledge and good attitude level.

Knowledge and Attitude Toward Brain Death and Organ Donation Among Anesthesiology and Reanimation Professionals

PURPOSE

We aimed to establish the basic data for the improvement of the weak points by determining the knowledge and attitude of professionals in anesthesiology and reanimation or/and intensive care, who are 50% responsible for the diagnosis of brain death.

METHODS

After the approval of the ethics committee, questionnaires were sent to participants. The data were collected electronically. The questionnaire consists of 89 questions.

RESULTS

A total of 564 (22.56%) completed questionnaires were returned. The sex distribution of the respondents was 207 (36.7%) female and 357 (63.3%) male; the mean age was 37 (SD, 7) years. Among participants, 87.2% reported needing ancillary testing for the diagnosis of brain death. Nevertheless, the rate of those who never needed ancillary testing was high among the participants who were specialized and working in hospitals covered by Erzurum RCC (31.2% and 26.7%, respectively) (P < .05). A total of 55.3% of respondents reported considering brain death and 41.9% reported considering circulatory arrest at the time of death. Participants' religious beliefs are not against to organ donation (93.4%). However, the percentage of respondents who thought that families refuse organ donation because of their religion was 84.1%. Suggestions for increasing organ transplants from deceased donors include education (54.1%), religious support (21.4%), use of media resources (25%), government support and legislative changes (10.1% and 7.6%, respectively), and education of health workers (9.4%).

CONCLUSION

The most important way to solve this problem is to give adequate education to main stakeholders. This is the most effective method to improve the public's behavior.

Effectiveness of the Gerundium Youth Educating Program in Hungary

The acceptance of brain death and the legitimation of organ transplantation is very much dependent on the general knowledge of the society. In Hungary, the legislation of brain death is based on presumed consent. There is no structural education about the topic so far.

AIM

The role of the Gerundium program is to educate high school students about the importance of transplantation and the meaning of brain death. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Gerundium contemporary educational program in a pilot study.

METHOD

The education was held by medical students who successfully completed a preparatory elective course consisting of relevant information in the topic. Medical students used simple language during the 45-minute presentations. Two tests with simple but representative questions created by experts were completed by high school students: one directly before contemporary education and another 5 to 6 weeks after the lecture.

RESULTS

A total of 147 tests were completed: 78 before and 69 after the presentation in the city of Debrecen and 294 before the lecture in the city of Győr. In Debrecen, the overall correct answers increased by 6.05% (P < .05; before vs after). The results show that the knowledge transfer is highly effective in this manner and the students know significantly more weeks after the lectures.

CONCLUSION

There is much to do to broadly inform society about transplantation and brain death, but we will continue to increase the number of students and measure the dynamic change of the students' knowledge.

Understanding ambivalence toward organ donation and transplantation: An exploratory study of nursing students

BACKGROUND

There is a continuing shortage of organs for transplantation purposes worldwide. Determining why this is a recurring problem is necessary as organ transplantation is a highly successful life saving measure. It is possible that ambivalence is key to this shortage.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the possible existence of ambivalence toward organ donation and transplantation among Canadian nursing students, and gaining insights into this ambivalence when present.

DESIGN

An exploratory study using a structured questionnaire to explore the existence of ambivalence in relation to donating and receiving an organ for transplantation purposes.

METHODS

A total of 170 undergraduate nursing students at a Canadian university participated in this study by completing a brief questionnaire distributed to all five classes of nursing students who were taking a mandatory research course during the 2017-18 university calendar year. The survey tool was designed to collect quantitative and qualitative data in relation to their ambivalence toward organ donation and transplantation.

RESULTS

Nursing students are more willing to receive an organ than to donate. The willingness to donate or receive an organ was related to their personal beliefs and moral codes, religion, level of knowledge, and the existence of ambivalence.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals important insights into ambivalence about donating and receiving organs. The study found it was very easy to introduce ambivalence among nursing students, with this information highly relevant for student education and other applications.

Attitude of Upper Egypt Health-Care Professionals Toward Living Liver Donation and Transplantation

BACKGROUND

In Egypt, there is no legislation for deceased donor transplant; therefore, programs provide living donation only. One possible barrier against living liver donation may be the attitude of the health-care professional. This study aimed to (1) assess the level of knowledge and attitude toward liver donation and transplantation among health-care professional in an University Hospital in Upper Egypt and (2) analyze the variables that affect such an attitude.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional survey study with 300 health-care professionals.

RESULTS

The mean (standard deviation) age was 27.4 (5.3) years. Two hundred (66.7%) were females, and 257 (85.7%) were Muslims. A total of 222 (74%) were residents in University Hospitals. Of the sample, 104 (34.7%) would donate a living liver part, 122 (40.7%) discussed the matter of organ donation and transplantation with their family, and 134 (44.7%) did not discuss this issue with their family. About 40% knew the attitude of their religion toward organ donation. Most (94.7%) health professionals were <40 years and did not know the attitude of their religion toward this issue. Single persons had more correct information regarding living organ donation and transplantation. More Muslims know the attitude of their religion toward living organ donation and transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Independent predictors of accepting living liver donation are being younger, knowledge of religion attitude, and media coverage satisfaction ( P = 0.006, odd ratio [OR] = 0.2; P = 0.000, OR = 0.39; and P = 0.016; OR = 0.38).

Medical Students' Attitude Toward Organ Donation: Understanding Reasons for Refusal in Order to Increase Transplantation Rates

OBJECTIVES

To assess, among medical students, the willingness to donate their own organs or those of a family member, and to establish reasons for refusal.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

During the 2016 academic year, an anonymous survey was conducted among University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine second-year students.

RESULTS

Of the total 1012 respondents, 81.92% would agree to donate and 18.08% would not. Thirty two percent would not authorize donation of a family member's organ. Almost all (94.1%) students reported they had little information about organ donation. Reasons for refusal included: fears about the possibility of not being really dead when considered for organ ablation (36.4%); lack of confidence in (25.8%) or lack of information about the organ procurement and transplantation system (14.6%); no interest in organ donation (9.3%); and religious reasons (6%). Brain death was considered irreversible by 59.7% of donors and by only 51% of non-donors (P = .036). Contact with a transplanted person was more frequent in the donor group (30.9% vs 21.3%, P = .01). More donors were found among the group who discussed the subject with their families than among the group who did not (69.1% vs 62.9%, P = .053).

CONCLUSIONS

A considerable percentage of medical school students would not be willing to donate their own or a family member's organs. Main reasons are mistrust of the system, lack of information about donation programs, and poor understanding of the brain death concept. Contact with an organ recipient and discussing the subject in the family both favored donation.

Knowledge Attıtudes and Behavıors About Organ Donatıon Among Fırst- and Sıxth-class Medıcal Students: A Study From Turkey

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of Erciyes University School of Medicine students regarding organ donation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This descriptive study was conducted in 2014 on Erciyes University School of Medicine first- and sixth-grade students via questionnaire. It was to be conducted on all 490 students; in total, 464 students were enrolled-304 from first grade and 160 from sixth grade. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ(2) test, and binary logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean age was 20.9 ± 2.8 years and it was found that 48.9% were male, 65.5% were in first grade; 50.0% of the students who participated in the study were considering donating their organs and this rate is 45.4% in the first grade and 58.8% at sixth grade. Those who donated their organs were 3.4% in the entire group and were 1.6% and 6.9% consequently in first and sixth grades. Those who are; at the sixth grade, female gender, those who feel themselves responsible for the donation of society, who think organ donation is appropriate in terms of religion and conversations within family about organ donations significantly want organ donation more statistically. However, grade and gender had no effect on wishing donating organs according to binary logistic regression analysis. The rate of feeling themselves responsible from the donation in society was 73.9% and finding organ donation appropriate in terms of religion was 75.6% and there wasn't significant difference between first and sixth grades.

CONCLUSION

Although there are increases in many variables about this issue at sixth grade, students are unable to gain sufficient attitude and behavior about organ donation. Training can be planned during medical educations in terms of gaining attitudes and behaviors about the issue.

Gerundium: A Comprehensive Public Educational Program on Organ Donation and Transplantation and Civil Law in Hungary

BACKGROUND

Organ transplantation has become an organized, routine, widely used method in the treatment of several end-stage diseases. Kidney transplantation means the best life-quality and longest life expectancy for patients with end-stage renal diseases. Transplantation is the only available long-term medical treatment for patients with end-stage liver, heart, and lung diseases. Despite the number of transplantations increasing worldwide, the needs of the waiting lists remain below expectations.

METHODS

One of the few methods to increase the number of transplantations is public education. In cooperation with the University of Debrecen Institute for Surgery Department of Transplantation, the Hungarian National Blood Transfusion Service Organ Coordination Office, and the Local Committee Debrecen of Hungarian Medical Students' International Relations Committee (HuMSIRC), the Gerundium, a new educational program, has been established to serve this target. Gerundium is a special program designed especially for youth education. Peer education means that age-related medical student volunteers educate their peers during interactive unofficial sessions.

RESULTS

Volunteers were trained during specially designed training. Medical students were honored by HuMSIRC, depending on their activity on the basis of their own regulations. Uniform slides and brochures to share were designed. Every Hungarian secondary school was informed. The Local Committee Budapest of HuMSIRC also joined the program, which helps to expand our activity throughout Hungary. The aim of the program is public education to help disperse disapproval, if presented.

CONCLUSIONS

As a multiple effect, our program promotes medical students to have better skills in the field of transplantation, presentation, and communication skills. Our program is a voluntary program with strong professional support and is free of charge for the community.

Attitudes of Medical Students From Different Countries About Organ Donation

OBJECTIVES

Although there have been some case studies that measure the medical students' knowledge and attitude about organ donation, there is no such global survey in the literature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An online questionnaire was prepared to measure the knowledge and attitudes about organ donation.

RESULTS

A total of 1541 medical students from 104 different countries responded to the questionnaire. The participants who have received education before were more successful, had a higher self-donation rate, and showed a more-positive attitude toward organ donation than did those who did not receive an education, or a higher self-donation rate, or a more-positive attitude toward organ donation. Opposition against promotion of the organ donation by medical doctors was more widespread among men, preclinical students, African participants, and participants who did not support organ donation. The two most important decisions about increasing the level of organ donation involved in achieving support of the media and the education of the health care workers.

CONCLUSIONS

Educational programs would improve the knowledge and attitudes of medical students about organ donation and transplantation.

What is organ donation and transplantation? Educating through the doubt

BACKGROUND

Organ transplantation in Brazil is increasing, but one of its current obstacles is the negative response of the population to organ donation. Therefore, to make the process viable, it is essential that people are educated in organ donation and transplantation. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the main doubts on this subject and to clarify these issues by educating the respondents on the basis of their questions.

METHODS

Handout questionnaires about organ donation and transplantation were distributed in public schools. The public targets were parents, teachers, and students. The interviewers were trained medical students.

RESULTS

In this pilot study with 293 subjects, 97% of respondents had already heard about organ donation; 81% said they would donate their organs, whereas 76% said they would donate the organs of family members and 78% said they believe in the existence of organ trafficking in Brazil.

CONCLUSIONS

The high percentage of respondents believing in the existence of an organ trade highlights the urgency in clarifying this topic. To do so, the population must be educated about the ethics of the process of donation, emphasizing the fact that there is no organ trade in Brazil.

Assessing respiratory therapists' awareness of the organ donor referral criteria and attitudes toward organ donation

CONTEXT

Respiratory therapists provide care for every potential organ donor but do not receive formal education regarding organ procurement.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the number of respiratory therapists who are aware of the organ donor referral criteria and their attitude toward organ donation before and after an organ procurement organization provided an educational course.

DESIGN

A retrospective analysis of surveys following an educational course.

SETTING

Hospital respiratory therapy departments within the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance northern region.Participants-Respiratory therapists who attended the educational course.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Measured outcomes were respiratory therapists' attitude scores before and after the organ procurement organization provided the educational course, the number of organ donor cases experienced during the respiratory therapists' careers, the unit(s) of the hospital in which the respiratory therapists worked, and the respiratory therapists' awareness of the organ donor referral criteria before the organ procurement organization provided the educational course.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven respiratory therapists were surveyed. Sixty-two respiratory therapists identified themselves as working in a critical care setting and 58% stated they were unaware of the donor referral criteria. Seventeen respiratory therapists reported their attitude toward organ donation improved with no perception decline. Using the Wilcoxon signed rank test for statistical analysis, the mean attitude score after the education course was significantly different at an alpha level of 0.05 (P<.01) than the mean attitude score before the course. After the program, 98.7% of the respiratory therapists stated they would begin evaluating patients regarding the organ donor referral criteria before extubation.

Do medical students understand brain death? A survey study

BACKGROUND

A lack of understanding of brain death has been demonstrated among physicians, and may stem from knowledge deficits at the medical school level. The authors sought to evaluate current understanding of brain death and knowledge gaps among U.S. medical students at a single center.

METHODS

Using a validated "Understanding Brain Death" survey tool, the authors surveyed the student body at an accredited four year medical school. A score of 5/5 on this scale indicated an expert level of understanding. The investigators identified areas of knowledge gaps, and compared brain death expertise throughout the curriculum progression.

RESULTS

The overall response rate was 69% (212 of 306 students). Mean scores were 3.1, 3.9, 4.1, and 4.0 (out of 5) among first through fourth year classes respectively. Understanding of brain death differed across the medical school classes (p <0.0001). 33% (N=70) of all students attained scores of 5 indicating an expert level of understanding brain death. By class; 18% of first year students demonstrated expert levels of understanding, compared to 31% of second year students, 48% of third year students, and 39% of fourth year students.

CONCLUSIONS

The level of understanding of brain death is low among the student body in a four year accredited U.S. medical school. This knowledge gap persists among graduating students as most do not attain an expert understanding of brain death. A more comprehensive brain death curriculum should be implemented in order to adequately equip physicians with this fundamental knowledge.

Attitudes to cadaveric organ donation in Irish preclinical medical students

There is a worldwide shortage of organs for transplantation. It has been shown that the attitude of healthcare professionals can improve the rates of organ donation, and that educational programs aimed at improving both attitudes and knowledge base of professionals can have positive outcomes. Although there has been research carried out on this topic, there has been none in Ireland. Anatomy dissection can be a stressor to medical students-we investigate the attitudes of Irish students to organ donation and how they change with exposure to anatomy dissection. A questionnaire was administered to first year students in the School of Medicine in University College Dublin, Ireland, three times over a nine-week period at the commencement of classes in an academic year. The attitudes of the students were positive throughout regarding organ donation by a stranger, a family member, or themselves. There was, however, a significant decrease in support for the donation of a family member's organs in a minority of students. Irish students' attitudes to postmortem organ donation are positive and are not changed by exposure to the dissecting room. There is support for the donation of organs, and willingness among students to donate their own organs and support donation by family members.

The emerging role of Brazil in clinical trial conduct for transplantation

Brazil is a country with over 190 000 000 inhabitants and a health system composed of a large public, government managed system. Between 1999 and 2010 the number of deceased donors increased by 161%, from 3.8 to 9.9 pmp, and the number of solid organ transplants increased by 121%, from 2891 to 6402. This growth was a consequence of the creation of a well-organized national transplant program. Government funding, decentralization and educational investment in transplant coordinators and related professional were decisive. In 2009 Brazil was the second largest country in the absolute number of kidney transplants (n = 4259). There are significant region disparities in performance which are mainly due to the development status. Improvements in transplant and research regulations resulted in an increasing participation of Brazilian transplant centers in multicenter trials, reaching over 44 studies during the last 11 years. Brazilian centers have been involved in clinical trials using everolimus, sirolimus, fingolimod, mycophenolate mofetyl, mycophenolate sodium, tacrolimus modified-release, sotrastaurin, belatacept, JAK3 inhibitor CP690,550 and valganciclovir. The still increasing number of transplants performed every year along with more efficient regulatory and sanitary analysis, organized clinical research programs and reduction in region performance disparities will eventually increase even more the participation of Brazil in trials worldwide.

Undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards organ donation: a survey in an Italian university

AIMS

To examine undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards organ donation and to determine whether or not attitudes were related to the students' education and training.

BACKGROUND

Nurses' knowledge and personal opinion can influence patient's willingness to donate organs or to hold an organ donor card. It is unclear how Italy's future nurses view organ donation.

METHODS

The study's source population consisted of third-year undergraduate nursing students enrolled in seven nursing schools from an Italian university during 2008. Respondents completed self-administered quantitative questionnaire with 61 questions, including the Organ Donation Attitude Scale.

FINDINGS

Of the 378 students contacted, 183 (48%) completed all survey questions; 140 were females (76.5%) and the mean age of students was 25. The median score of students' attitude scores towards organ donation was 151 (the attitude is positive when the score is higher than 161). No significant correlations were found to exist between organ-donation attitude and sex, age, clinical practice in hospitals with a transplant unit, nursing care to patients waiting for a transplant or dialysis patients. Only 16% of the students had previously signed a donor card consenting to their own organ donation. The study revealed that doubts about transplantable organs still exist within the student body.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlighted that students' awareness of organ donation was not adequate and that attitude levels were lower than in other countries. If these future workers would receive adequate training, they could promote organ donation to the general public and to other hospital personnel.

Teaching Organ and Tissue Donation in Medical and Nursing Education: A Needs Assessment

Context

Research on organ donation education is limited by its reliance on convenience samples (ie, small sample sizes and local schools) and its failure to assess methods of instruction on the topic.

Objective

To describe medical and nursing students' training in organ donation by examining curriculum content and methods of instruction by using a national sample of medical schools and a statewide sample (New York) of nursing schools.

Design

Self-report online survey.

Participants

Nursing and medical deans responsible for curriculum development and evaluation.

Main Outcome Measure

Participants provided information on the inclusion of specific topics in organ donation, skills related to organ donation, and the declaration of personal donation intentions within their respective educational programs. Methods of instruction on such topics (eg, standardized patients, lectures, small groups) also were assessed.

Results

Although many educational programs include an organ donation component, a significant proportion of schools failed to provide instruction on donation consent processes, definitions of brain and cardiac death, and the discussion of organ donation during a routine health care visit. Most schools rely on lectures as the sole method of instruction. Recommendations are made for how deficits in instruction might be addressed through future interventions and education.

U.S. surgeon and medical student attitudes toward organ donation

BACKGROUND

Nearly 100,000 people await an organ transplant in the U.S. Improved utilization of potential organ donors may reduce the organ shortage. Physician attitudes toward organ donation may influence donation rates; however, the attitudes of U.S. physicians have not been formally evaluated.

METHODS

Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to surgical attendings, surgical residents, and medical students at two academic medical centers. Willingness to donate one's own organs and family member's organs was examined, as well as experience with transplant procedures and religious views regarding organ donation.

RESULTS

A total of 106 surveys were returned. Sixty-four percent of responders were willing to donate their own organs, and 49% had signed an organ donor card. Willingness to donate inversely correlated with professional experience. Eighty-four percent of those surveyed would agree to donate the organs of a family member, including 55% of those who refused to donate their own organs. Experience on the transplant service influenced 16% of those refusing donation, with the procurement procedure cited by 83% of this group. Sixteen percent refused organ donation on the basis of religious beliefs.

CONCLUSIONS

The surveyed U.S. physicians are less willing to donate their organs compared with the general public. Despite understanding the critical need for organs, less than half of physicians surveyed had signed organ donor cards. Previous experiences with the procurement procedure influenced several responders to refuse organ donation. As the lay public traditionally looks to physicians for guidance, efforts must be made to improve physician attitudes toward organ donation with the hope of increasing donation rates.