Authors (including presenting author) :
KWAN HY(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Intensive Care Unit, Kwong Wah Hospital
Introduction :
In spite of medical technology advancement, organ transplantation (OT) is the last solution for some patients with organ failure to improve their quality of life or even continue their lives. However, Hong Kong (HK) has an
imbalance between the demand and supply of OT. Many terminal illness patients would die before the right organ available. To cut down patients’ waiting time for OT, the community willingness for organ donation (OD) after
death is undoubtedly important. Besides low OD registration rate, low family consent rate is another obstacle. Intensive care unit (ICU) is the most common department of hospital to identify potential donors, provide early and effective intensive management to sustain patients’ vital suitability and diagnose patient as brain death (BD). Different works are shared within the ICU healthcare professionals. ICU nurses provide support
and protection in term of “patient care” as well as “family care”. Nurses could help family to understand the diagnosis of BD which is irreversible nature, help family preparing for imminent loss of their loved and their grief regardless the decision OD. Competency of nurses to spend time with families, well-address questions and keep positive attitude towards OD helps the success of family consent. Therefore, ICU nurses, as a part of
healthcare professionals, with sound knowledge of BD and positive attitude of OD, play an important role in the process of OD.
Objectives :
(1) Explore HK ICU nurses’ the acceptance and knowledge of BD. (2) Explore HK ICU nurses’ attitudes toward OD. (3) Measure the association between the
above variables.
Methodology :
A cross-sectional, self-administrated and validated questionnaire was conducted to ICU registered nurses, Kwong Wah Hospital, April 2021, to assess their acceptance and knowledge regarding BD as well as attitudes toward OD.
Result & Outcome :
Result: A total of 49 ICU nurses participated into the study with a 89.1% response rate. The majority of respondents were female (n=39, 79.6%). Most ICU nurses (n=47, 97.9%) accepted brain death as a valid determination of death. 68.7% (n=33) nurses correctly answered all brain death knowledge test which was not statistically significantly associated with their education level, ICU training or working experience (p>0.05). The majority of nurses (n=45, 91.8%) is generally favorable towards organs and tissues donation. 73.5% (n=36) nurses were willing to donate organs after death and 53.1% (n=26) had registered their wishes into Centralised Organ Donation Register (CODR). Statistically significant association between female and registration into CODR (p<0.05).
Conclusion: In spite of the small sample size, ICU nurses’ brain death acceptance is positive on the whole and level of brain death knowledge is generally positive but improvable. Additional in-hospital brain death education is encouraged. General attitude toward organ donation is favorable. Of concern, the lower number of nurses would consider donating their organ after death and put their wishes into action. Nurses’ personal attitude towards organ donation might influence their practice and indirectly influence public willingness to donate as well as the donation rate. The action of CODR registration, sharing wishes of donation and discussion within family shall be encouraged. Concrete measures of promoting the above action should be developed among nurses to increase donation rate.
