The Experience of Perioperative Nurses Involved in Organ Procurement

Australian perioperative nurses’ experiences of assisting in multi-organ procurement surgery: A grounded theory study

“…Participants disclosed concealing and withholding their understanding and levels of knowledge about the procurement surgical procedure, the concept of brain death or the process of DCD. Similar findings were also substantiated within other perioperative research studies internationally (Regehr et al, 2004;Wang and Lin, 2009).…”

“…As noted the impact of procurement surgery predisposed some participants to suppress and not speak about their experiences or concerns for several years which in turn led to the exacerbation of longer term psychological effects such as nightmares and flashbacks with intrusive thoughts long after their participation experience. Evidence of this aspect was also highlighted by other international studies with nurses describing similar incidents (Kent, 2004;Wang and Lin, 2009). Although there is significant anecdotal evidence by participants in previous studies (Carter-Gentry and McCurren, 2004;Lloyd-Jones, 1996;Page, 1996;Regehr et al, 2004;Wang and Lin, 2009;Wolf, 1991) research concerned with the long term psychological effects, and the links of posttraumatic stress symptoms related to health professionals participation in organ procurement surgery has not been reported.…”

“…Evidence of this aspect was also highlighted by other international studies with nurses describing similar incidents (Kent, 2004;Wang and Lin, 2009). Although there is significant anecdotal evidence by participants in previous studies (Carter-Gentry and McCurren, 2004;Lloyd-Jones, 1996;Page, 1996;Regehr et al, 2004;Wang and Lin, 2009;Wolf, 1991) research concerned with the long term psychological effects, and the links of posttraumatic stress symptoms related to health professionals participation in organ procurement surgery has not been reported. As conveyed by the participants within this study they felt they had received inadequate levels of support which led to stress compounding after the event several years later.…”

“…During these situations nurses reported that they could not find meaning from their participation. Although, the importance of providing post mortem care has been documented by several authors as an important aspect for the perioperative nurse (Carter-Gentry and McCurren, 2004;Page, 1996;Regehr et al, 2004;Wang and Lin, 2009;Wolf, 1991) there is no illustrative qualitative evidence within the literature of what hampered this process. This study therefore described factors which hampered this process within the theatre context.…”

“…Previous international research has suggested that perioperative nurses report participating in these procedures as highly stressful, with effects of personal distress, emotive feelings, strained relationships with visiting surgical teams and negative attitudes to organ donation as a result of their participation (CarterGentry and McCurren, 2004;Lloyd-Jones, 1996;Page, 1996;Regehr et al, 2004;Wang and Lin, 2009;Wolf, 1991). Although the research literature has strongly emphasised that these surgical procedures initiated difficult emotive reactions for the nurses involved, there is no consensus on what should be done to assist this group of health professionals (Carter-Gentry and McCurren, 2004;Kent, 2004;Lloyd-Jones, 1996;Page, 1996;Regehr et al, 2004;Wang and Lin, 2009;Wolf, 1991). Whilst the existing research provides a descriptive presentation of the various issues which impact on the perioperative nurse's role there was a relative lack of conceptual consideration for the social, psychological processes and interactions of perioperative nurse's participatory experiences.…”