RT Article
T1 Perspectives toward brain death diagnosis and management of the potential organ donor
JF Nursing ethics
VO 26
IS 6
SP 1886
OP 1896
A1 Victorino, João Paulo
A1 Mendes, Karina Dal Sasso
A1 Westin, Úrsula Marcondes
A1 Magro, Jennifer Tatisa Jubileu
A1 Corsi, Carlos Alexandre Curylofo
A1 Ventura, Carla Aparecida Arena
LA English
PB Sage
YR 2019
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1779458029
AB Background:Organ donation and transplantation represent one of the most important scientific advances over the last decades. Due to the complexity of these procedures and related ethical–legal aspects, however, there are a lot of doubts and uncertainty about the brain death diagnosis and the maintenance of potential organ donor.Aim:To identify and discuss the different meanings and experiences of registered nurses and physicians from an adult intensive care unit in relation to the diagnosis of brain death and the maintenance of potential organ donors for transplantation purposes.Study Design:Participants were registered nurses and physicians from an adult intensive care unit at a University Hospital from Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis.Ethical considerations:This study was approved by the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing Research Ethics Committee.Results:Two main categories emerged from the analysis: (1) brain death diagnosis and its implications and (2) maintenance of the potential organ donor and its repercussion in the donation–transplantation process. Six subcategories were also identified: (1.1) understanding the brain death diagnosis as a tool to aid decision-making; (1.2) diagnosis as guarantee of rights; (1.3) difficulties encountered to establish the diagnosis; (1.4) clinical criteria adopted in Brazil and related ethical–legal aspects; (2.1) specificities of care to the brain dead person and outcomes; and (2.2) nurse’s duties toward the brain dead person.Conclusion:Although the brain death diagnosis is scientifically and legally defined in Brazil and the maintenance of the potential organ donor for transplantation purposes has been addressed during the last years, there are still some doubts about the subject, as its understanding varies according to the personal beliefs, culture, and educational background of individuals, including those who work in this scenario.
K1 Physicians
K1 Organ Donation
K1 Nurses
K1 intensive care
K1 Brain Death
DO 10.1177/0969733018791335