title: Looking for New Alternatives: What Nursing Students of Lodz's Medical University in Poland Think About the Use of Organs Coming From Animals?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The shortage of organs has made it necessary to look for new alternatives as xenotransplantation. The objective of this study was to analyze the attitudes of Polish nursing students toward organ donation of nonhuman origin, and to determine the factors that affect them.
  
  
  METHODS
  Year 2011-2012. Nursing students of the University of Poland. Sampling points in 5 compulsory-attendance nursing courses with a completion rate of fulfillment of 80%. Validated questionnaire (PCID-XenoTx Rios) filled out anonymously and self-administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The completion rate was 81% (325/402): 55% in favor (n = 179), 7% (n = 24) against, and 38% (n = 122) do not know. There were significant associations between: 1) the academic year, with 1st-year students presenting the more favorable attitude than those in the 3rd year (68% vs 41%; P = .039); 2) discuss the topic with friends (59% vs 41%; P = .043); 3) being in favor of cadaver organ donation (64% vs 41%; P < .001); and 4) consider the option of needing a transplant in the future (63%) compared with those who do not consider this option (40%; P = .040). In multivariate analysis, the relationship with being in favor of cadaver organ donation remained (odds ratio, 2.577; 95% confidence interval, 4.081-1.631; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost one-half of the nursing students had an unfavorable attitude toward xenotransplantation.
authors.affiliation: International Collaborative Donor Project ("Projecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante"), Murcia, Spain; Department of Nursing, University of Murcia, Spain; Hospital General Universitario Reina Sofia, Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: marmikla@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mikla
authors.affiliation: International Collaborative Donor Project ("Projecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante"), Murcia, Spain; Department of Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Murcia, Spain; Transplant Unit, Surgery Service, IMIB-Clinical Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain; Regional Transplant Center, Department of Health and Consumer Affairs in the Region of Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rios
authors.affiliation: International Collaborative Donor Project ("Projecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante"), Murcia, Spain; Department of Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Murcia, Spain; Department of Psychology, Catholic University San Antonio, UCAM, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lopez-Navas
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing and Midwifery, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kilanska
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gorzkowicz
authors.affiliation: International Collaborative Donor Project ("Projecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante"), Murcia, Spain; Department of Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Murcia, Spain; Transplant Unit, Surgery Service, IMIB-Clinical Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain; Regional Transplant Center, Department of Health and Consumer Affairs in the Region of Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martinez-Alarcón
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramis
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Murcia, Spain; Transplant Unit, Surgery Service, IMIB-Clinical Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain; Regional Transplant Center, Department of Health and Consumer Affairs in the Region of Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lopez Montesinos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000523:psychology*; D019737:Transplants / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D014495:Universities