Last update:
03-Jun-2018

OBJECTIVE Το examine the knowledge and attitudes about brain death (BD) and organ donation of nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) in Macedonia and Thrace in Northern Greece.

METHOD A 30-item questionnaire was distributed to all the nursing staff working in the ICUs of hospitals in Northern Greece. The criterion for inclusion of the ICUs was hospitalization of patients with conditions that could lead to BD. Participation of the nurses was anonymous and voluntary, and the overall response level was 81.5%, with 319 completed questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted with Predictive Analytics Software (PASW), version 18.0.

RESULTS Nurses with a higher level of education, more years of working in ICU and experience with BD patients reported a higher level of "Total Knowledge" about BD. The gender of the nurse and the geographical location of the ICU had a significant effect on "Attitudes" towards organ donation and transplantations females and those working in ICUs in Thessaloniki had more positive "Attitudes". "Total Knowledge" about BD showed significant positive correlation with "Attitudes" towards organ donation and transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS The average total knowledge about BD was relatively high, and the subject of BD appears to preoccupy the ICU nurses participating in the study. The BD process encompasses, apart from knowledge and attitudes, skills that nurses need to develop both to care for BD patients and to assist their relatives. This study generated a number of questions for further investigation. Extensive research in ICUs across the country will lead to better understanding of the knowledge and attitudes of nurses towards BD and organ donation, and ultimately help to improve nursing practice.

Key words: Attitudes, Brain death, Knowledge, Nurses, Organ donation.