Crowdsourced analysis of factors and misconceptions associated with parental willingness to donate their child's organs

Exploring Ethical Dimensions of Physician Involvement in Requests for Organ Donation in Pediatric Brain Death

Pediatric organ transplantation remains a life-saving therapy, with donated organs being absolutely scarce resources. Efforts to both increase pediatric organ donation authorization by families of children declared dead by neurologic criteria and mitigate perception of conflicts of interest have resulted in frequent exclusion of physicians from this process. This article provides of focused review of pediatric organ donation in the setting of brain death, explores the breadth of consequences of physician exclusion in donation authorization requests, and provides an ethical framework defending physician involvement in the organ donation process for this patient population.

Brain death communication with parents of children and adolescents: care strategies

OBJECTIVES

to identify care strategies developed by professionals from critically ill patients' units in communicating BD with parents of children and adolescents.

METHODS

an exploratory and descriptive research with a qualitative approach, carried out in two health institutions between October and December 2019, through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis took place through content analysis.

RESULTS

twenty-one professionals participated. Three care strategies were identified: actual clinical situation in suspected brain death; sensitizing families to the real clinical situation after brain death diagnosis; and time to assimilate the death information.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

the care strategies for communicating brain death to families identified in this study present the possibility of subsidizing health managers in training and support promotion for professionals in care practice. Moreover, they can be incorporated and validated in the care practice of the studied context.

Care bundle for family interview for pediatric organ donation

PURPOSE

to develop a care bundle for best practices in conducting the family interview for organ and tissue donation with the families of children and adolescents.

DESIGN AND METHODS

methodological study, with a qualitative approach, developed in Brazil, in three stages: literature review, qualitative study with professionals and family members, and development of the care bundle.

RESULTS

Nine studies were selected and 17 health professionals and nine family members were interviewed. With this data, the care bundle was developed in three categories: communication of death, emotional support and information about organ and tissue donation. The recommendations were evaluated by five external professionals and all of them assessed the bundle as having the highest possible quality.

CONCLUSIONS

the care bundle was built following the stages of integrative literature review and interviews with professionals working in this scenario and family members who have already gone through a family interview for organ and tissue donation of children and adolescents.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

the use of this material is seen as an important resource to support the professional during the conduction of the family interview in a scenario as sensitive and challenging as the care to family members facing death and the decision of organ and tissue donation of children and adolescents. Furthermore, the care bundle can increase the quality of family interviews and impact the reduction of family refusals.

DESCRIPTORS

Practice Guideline as Topic. Tissue and Organ Procurement. Patient Care Team. Nursing. Pediatrics. Communication.

MORTE ENCEFÁLICA: VIVÊNCIA DA EQUIPE DE SAÚDE JUNTO AOS PAIS DE CRIANÇAS E ADOLESCENTES

RESUMO Objetivo: compreender a vivência da equipe de saúde junto aos pais de crianças e adolescentes durante as etapas do protocolo de morte encefálica. Método: pesquisa exploratória de abordagem qualitativa desenvolvida em duas instituições de saúde de alta complexidade e referência no atendimento a crianças e adolescentes com politrauma. Os participantes foram profissionais de saúde das unidades de pacientes críticos. A coleta de dados ocorreu entre os meses de outubro e dezembro de 2019 por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Para análise de conteúdo, utilizou-se como apoio o software Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires. Resultados: participaram do estudo 21 profissionais (médicos, enfermeiros e técnicos de enfermagem). O corpus geral foi constituído por 21 textos, separados em 123 segmentos, emergindo quatro classes. O estudo mostra sentimentos de apoio e compaixão em todas as etapas do protocolo de morte encefálica. Na etapa da abertura do protocolo, as emoções da equipe estão voltadas às ações de clarificar e transparecer informações deste processo. Além de apontar a necessidade de a equipe detalhar o passo a passo dos exames a serem realizados. Na etapa da comunicação da morte, a sensação de estar, cuidar e acolher a família se conecta com outros sentimentos experimentados por eles. Conclusão: o estudo revela que a equipe de saúde vivencia sentimentos únicos durante o protocolo de morte encefálica na realidade de crianças e adolescentes. Revela também a preocupação de a equipe em estar com a família, atentar e cuidar ante a dor da perda.

BRAIN DEATH: HEALTH TEAM’S EXPERIENCE WITH PARENTS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

ABSTRACT Objective to understand the health team’s experience with parents of children and adolescents during the brain death protocol stages. Method a qualitative and exploratory research developed in two health institutions of high complexity and reference in the care of children and adolescents with polytrauma. Participants were health professionals from critical patient units. Data collection took place between October and December 2019 through semi-structured interviews. For content analysis, we used the software Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires as support. Results twenty-one professionals (physicians, nurses and nursing technicians) participated in the study. The general corpus consisted of 21 texts, separated into 123 segments, with the emergence of four classes. The study shows feelings of support and compassion at all brain death protocol stages. In the protocol opening stage, the team’s emotions are focused on the actions of clarifying and revealing information in this process, in addition to pointing out the need for the team to detail the step by step of the exams to be performed. In the communication of death stage, the feeling of being, caring for and welcoming the family relates to other feelings experienced by them. Conclusion the study reveals that the health team experiences unique feelings during the brain death protocol in the reality of children and adolescents, revealing the team’s concern with being with the family, paying attention and caring for the pain of loss.

Comunicação da morte encefálica junto aos pais de crianças e adolescentes: estratégias de cuidados

RESUMO Objetivos: identificar estratégias de cuidados desenvolvidas pelos profissionais das unidades de pacientes críticos na comunicação da morte encefálica junto aos pais de crianças e adolescentes. Métodos: pesquisa exploratória e descritiva com abordagem qualitativa, realizada em duas instituições de saúde entre outubro e dezembro de 2019, por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas. A análise dos dados ocorreu através da análise de conteúdo. Resultados: participaram 21 profissionais. Foram três estratégias de cuidados identificadas: real situação clínica na suspeita de morte encefálica; sensibilizando a família da real situação clínica após o diagnóstico de morte encefálica; e tempo para assimilar a informação da morte. Considerações Finais: as estratégias de cuidados para comunicação de morte encefálica às famílias identificadas neste estudo apresentam a possibilidade de subsidiar gestores de saúde na promoção de capacitações e apoio aos profissionais na prática assistencial. Além disso, podem ser incorporadas e validadas na prática assistencial do contexto estudado.