Performance in Organ Donation Process in Nurses Working in Critical Care Units of Hospitals in Qazvin City, Iran

Abstract

Aims: Considering that the correct management of patients with brain death in critical care units is a basis for organ transplantation and given the importance of nursing care in the organ donation process, this study aims to assess the performance of nurses in critical care units of hospitals in Qazvin, Iran regarding organ donation. Methods & Materials: This is a cross-sectional study performed in hospitals affiliated to Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in 2019. Participants were 190 nurses working in critical care units of these hospitals who were selected using a stratified random sampling method. To collect data, a demographic form and a researcher-made nursing performance questionnaire regarding organ donation were used. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and statistical tests (t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation test, and Spearman correlation test). Findings: The highest and lowest mean scores of performance belonged to ICU nurses in Kowsar Hospital (2.75±0.61) and the nurses in dialysis ward of Velayat Hospital (0.85±0.48), respectively. Only 22.8% of nurses had organ donation card. Majority of them (76.8%) signed for organ donation, and were reluctant to receive money for organ donation (96.9%). There was a significant difference in the mean scores of nurses’ performance between different wards (P<0.001). The organ donation performance was higher in female nurses than males and in married nurses than singles, but these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Nurses in critical care units of hospitals in Qazvin city have poor performance regarding organ donation. They should be informed about their role in the organ donation process, and coherent and targeted training courses should be developed to improve their performance.