Attitudes Toward Organ Donation: Differences Between Medical and Nursing Andalusian Students

Intervention programme to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of nursing students towards organ donation and transplantation: A randomised controlled trial

AIM

To develop and evaluate an educational programme aimed at undergraduate training to increase and improve knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards the organ and tissue donation and transplants (OTDT).

BACKGROUND

The request for OTDT falls on the health personnel and the reduction of family refusals depends on their attitude and competence, which is vital to increase OTDT. The evidence highlights the efficacy of starting training at early stages and the implementation of educational programmes in universities is recommended to reduce family refusals.

DESIGN

A randomised controlled trial.

METHODS

A randomised controlled trial with an experimental group (EG) -theory class and round table- and a control group (CG) -theory class- that transitions to a delayed experimental group. A sample of 73 students was distributed in parallel randomised groups.

RESULTS

The groups increased their knowledge and improved their attitude, significantly changing their behaviour in the follow-up. These changes in the experimental groups were more significant than in CG in perceived quality of information (z = -4.948; p = <0.001), level of knowledge (EG1 and CG z = -2.245; p = 0.025) (EG2 and CG z = -2.215; p = 0.027), attitude (EG1 and CG z = -2.687; p = 0.007) (EG2 and CG z = -2.198; p = 0.028) and behaviour (EG1 and CG t = 2.054; p = 0.044) (EG2 and CG z = -2.797; p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

The education programme has proven effective, promoting knowledge, change and entrenchment of attitudes, facilitating conversations with families, enabling willingness to donate and increasing potential donors.

The attitude towards organ donation: Differences between students of medicine and nursing. A preliminary study at Unizkm - Catholic University "Our Lady of Good Counsel" of Tirana

BACKGROUND

A favourable attitude towards organ donation and transplantation is fundamental among health professionals to promote consent, especially in a young healthcare system like Albania.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the differences in the attitude towards organ donation and transplantation and the influencing factors among medical doctors- and nurses-to-be.

METHODS AND DESIGN

The article is based on an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The population includes medical and nursing students of the Catholic University of Good Counsel - Unizkm of Tirana, Albania.

RESULTS

389 out of 401 students took part in the investigation, of whom 324 enrolled in the Medicine undergraduate program and 65 in the Nursing undergraduate program. Medical doctors-to-be showed higher awareness about the issue of donation than their colleagues from Nursing, and they were more engaged in discussion with other parties.

CONCLUSION

The preliminary results of our pilot study highlight the need to organise more training on the topic of organ donation and transplantation among clinical students, especially those studying Nursing.