Nursing team and organ donation: an integrative literature review

Abstract

The nursing team takes the lead in decision making related to organ donation process and family care as both are part of its work. This study aimed at identifying nursing team’s actions and activities directed to the families of potential organ donors in brain death from an integrative literature review. The final sample consisted of 10 articles whose analysis pointed to the central role played by nursing in creating bonds with the potential donor’s family, especially considering the difficulty of family members in understanding the death process. The sample also indicated urgent need to implement training programs for nursing teams in order to help reduce their suffering while in contact with families experiencing this situation. As a conclusion, family care requires several complex activities, including rigorous preparation and humanization to deal with family members and professionals.