Organ Donation After Circulatory Death and Before Death: Ethical Questions and Nursing Implications

Pediatric Death and Family Organ Donation: Bereavement Support Services in One Pediatric Health System

Health care providers need to support families and provide resources when facing their child's death and potential organ donation. Aims of this retrospective chart review in a tertiary health care system were: (1) describe characteristics of pediatric organ donors compared to those who were not; (2) determine differences between services utilized by families who selected organ donation versus those who did not. From 2017 to 2023 of 288 pediatric deaths, 76 were organ donors and 212 did not donate. Organ donors' mean age at admission was 6.3 ± 5.8 years. Thirty-four (44.7%) participated in Honor Walks. Significant differences existed between organ donors and non-organ donors in patients who were diagnosed with SIDS (3.9% vs 13.2%; P = .025). This study provides additional data to help further our understanding of bereavement support services for families making difficult decisions regarding organ donation.

Swedish Intensive Care Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Views on Donation After Circulatory Death Before a National Implementation

Introduction

An increasing population and a shortage of identified potential organ donors are causing the waiting list for organ transplants to grow continuously. Donation after circulatory death (DCD) is a method aimed at meeting the demand for transplantable organs. However, it presents new challenges in nursing care, and there is a lack of studies investigating nurses' attitudes and knowledge of DCD.

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine and describe intensive care nurses' (ICNs') knowledge, attitudes, and views on DCD before a national implementation in Sweden.

Method

This study utilized a cross-sectional mixed-method design. A convenience sampling method was employed, targeting ICNs working in four intensive care units in Sweden. A study-specific tool comprising fixed and free-text questions was developed. Fifty-one ICNs participated. Data were analyzed descriptively, and correlation analysis was performed using Spearman's correlation. Free-text answers were qualitatively assessed and analyzed. An integrated analysis was conducted to synthesize the quantitative and qualitative findings.

Results

Fifty-three percent reported limited knowledge about DCD. Nurses with previous education on DCD had significantly higher knowledge (r = .380, p = .006), were more engaged with the public debate on organ donation (r = .423, p = .002), and considered the ethical aspects of DCD more thoroughly (r = .386, p = .022). The qualitative analysis identified four key categories: The importance of the team, the need for ethical discussions, increased knowledge of DCD, and unanswered questions and unmet needs. The integrated analysis underscored the need for targeted education, clear guidelines, and ongoing ethical discussions to prepare ICU nurses for DCD.

Conclusion

Nurses educated in organ donor care had better knowledge and a more positive attitude toward DCD implementation. The study also highlights the importance of interprofessional teamwork in DCD implementation. The findings suggest that education on DCD could improve the identification and implementation of DCD donors, addressing the global shortage of transplantable organs.