Stressors experienced by nurses while caring for organ donors and their families.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the stressors experienced by nurses who care for organ donors and their families.


METHODS
Retrospective, exploratory, descriptive.


METHODS
Eastern Canada.


METHODS
Seventeen nurses who worked in a neurologic intensive care unit were interviewed. All had provided care to organ donors.


RESULTS
The threat of the patient dying, the inconsistent commitment of physicians to organ donation, and returning to an empty space were frequently mentioned stressors. All nurses felt positive about being involved in the organ donation process.


CONCLUSIONS
To deal with the stressors, nurses recommended more education in the area of grief, crisis interventions, stress, and coping theories. More important, they suggested the need to address their feelings through stress debriefing sessions.
Hibbert
M
M
University of New Brunswick Faculty of Nursing, Fredericton, Canada.
D000328:Adult; D003422:Critical Care; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014019:Tissue Donors