Death and organ donation from the point of view of nurses: a descriptive study

Abstract

Aim: To describe the point of view of nurses regarding the moment of death in the process of organ donation in an intensive care unit of a transplant hospital. Method: This is a descriptive, qualitative study, performed with fifteen nurses working in intensive care. Alceste software was used to treat the data collected, which identified the category "ontological dimension of caring due to the moment of death in the process of organ donation and harvesting". Results: During their practice nurses experience a dialectic relationship between the act of donation and facing death through the nursing care provided to the potential donor and his family. Discussion: The process of dying comes up against on a daily basis, when nurses have to deal with the unknown, and face the daily fear of fighting against the possibility of death. Conclusion: There is a need to rethink/review standards, to reconsider the educational background of nursing staff, and to demystify institutional truths when dealing with the unknown.

A focused ethnography of the culture of inclusive caring practice in the intensive care unit

“…Ps' provision of care and support did not end when the patient died; sometimes, it continued beyond the patient's death with follow‐up contact with the family to provide support, send flowers on behalf of the unit, and if appropriate and possible, attend the patient's funeral. Such findings were also identified in other studies, in which staff believed part of their role was to continue providing support and to advocate on behalf of the family if necessary (Bloomer & O’Connor, 2012 ; Fridh et al., 2007 ; Virginio et al., 2014 ).…”

The role of the nurse in the discharge of renal transplant patients from hospital: a descriptive study

“…Kidney transplantation is the ideal treatment for patients with chronic renal failure, and it is mandatory for those who do not present technical conditions for the installation/ maintenance of central venous access and/ or peritoneal access. With the introduction of transplantation as a therapeutic option, the number of patients who are able to receive treatment for previously untreatable diseases has increased significantly in Brazil (1) . The National Transplant System (NTS) is the largest public transplant program in the world.…”

Assistance technologies for nursing care in maintaining the potential organ donor: an integrative literature review

“…In this sense, finitude means temporality, because experiencing the process of living and dying, in the condition of vulnerability is part of the human experience, that is, every living being is subjected to the devastating effects of time, which would make it somehow aware of its temporality in the world. (VIRGINIO, et al 2014).…”