The impact of multi-organ procurement surgery in the nursing team: An Italian qualitative study

Abstract

The removal of organs and tissues is characterized by a high level of stress and can be very traumatic for the nursing team. This study was informed by a grounded theory approach and was based on data drawn from two focus groups with 15 nurses. Main themes centered on factors that modulate the level of stress (first experiences, children donors, doubts about death, organizational factors), and coping strategies (including nurses’ attitudes toward organ donation and training needs). There is a need to implement training for the stress management of the operating nurses and to provide supportive interventions.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the nurses who took part in the focus group and have shared their thoughts and emotions. Many thanks also to Eleonora Thiene, Maria Caputo, Lucia Alberti, Luciana Lamera, Antonio Giordano.

Disclosure statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.