Durand R, Shafer T, Holtzman S, Crafts N, Davis K, Decker P; AcademyHealth. Meeting (2004 : San Diego, Calif.).
Abstr AcademyHealth Meet. 2004; 21: abstract no. 1669.
University of Houston-Clear Lake, Healthcare Administration, (Home) 3507 E. Plum Street, Pearland, TX 77581 Tel. 281.455.5448 Fax 281.282.3136
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The results of a study of the impact of in-hospital donation coordinators (IHC) on nurses attitudes toward and knowledge of organ donation are reported. The study itself is part of a larger investigation of the effectiveness of using hospital-based, procurement professionals to enhance organ donation in Level I Trauma Centers in the United States. Further, this research was designed to build upon previous work showing that nurses attitudes and knowledge are important influences on consent to donation and donation outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey evidence was gathered from nurses employed at eight (8) Level I Trauma Centers with in-hospital organ procurement professionals located in four (4) different geographic regions of the United States. Such evidence was also gathered from nurses at six (6) comparison facilities: trauma centers in which in-hospital procurement professionals were not employed, but matched to IHC hospitals for organ procurement organization (OPO) service area and geographic location. A total of 618 completed surveys of nurses were obtained. POPULATION STUDIED: The population studied consisted of nurses working in the hospital units (e.g., ER, neurology, ICUs) of trauma centers in which potential organ donors are typically found. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Nurses working in Level I Trauma Centers with an IHC in comparison to those working in non-IHC hospitals were found to have considerably more information about specific aspects of donation (e.g., brain death). Further, IHC hospital nurses in contrast to non-IHC hospital nurses were found considerably more positive in their assessments of how their local organ procurement organizations had done in assisting hospital staff as well as in caring for families at the time of the death of a loved one. CONCLUSIONS: Previous research has demonstrated that the presence of an IHC in a Level I Trauma Center in the United States directly produces favorable donation outcomes by making family approach more timely and more personal in addition to making the donation process more efficient and effective. Yet, as suggested by the present study, the presence of an IHC in a trauma center is likely to also have an indirect effect on favorable donation outcomes by providing nurses in that hospital with more donation information as well as by enhancing appreciation of the work that organ procurement organizations do in helping hospital staff and families. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY, DELIVERY OR PRACTICE: The findings of this study support the use of hospital-based organ procurement professionals (in-house coordinators) to enhance the supply of transplantable human organs.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Attitude
- Attitude of Health Personnel
- Attitude to Death
- Brain Death
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Data Collection
- Family
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Humans
- Knowledge
- Nurses
- Professional-Family Relations
- Tissue Donors
- Tissue and Organ Procurement
- Trauma Centers
- United States
- hsrmtgs
UI: 103624703
From Meeting Abstracts