J Wale1, A Arthur, C Faull. 1. Palliative Care Team, Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Only a minority of hospice patients eligible to donate tissue and organs choose to do so. Hospice care staff play a key role in discussions about donation, but their willingness to engage in these discussions and their understanding of issues around tissue and organ donation is poorly understood. AIMS: To (i) identify factors associated with the wish of hospice doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants to donate their own organs after death; (ii) survey the experience of discussing the subject with patients; (iii) determine staff members' knowledge of organ and tissue donation and (iv) identify factors associated with knowledge of organ and tissue donation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey of hospice care staff. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: 76 of the 94 care staff of one large UK hospice completed and returned the questionnaire. RESULTS: Staff wishing to donate their organs after death (43/76 56.6%) were more likely to be doctors or nurses than healthcare assistants (p=0.011) and more likely to have discussed organ or tissue donation with their family (p<0.001). Staff reporting ever having discussed donation with patients had more years' experience (p=0.045) and had similarly discussed donation with their own family (p=0.039). Those with greater knowledge were more likely to have discussed organ or tissue donation with a patient (p=0.042). CONCLUSIONS: A reluctance to instigate discussions about organ and tissue donation may prevent palliative patients and their families being allowed the opportunity to donate. Suboptimal knowledge among hospice staff suggests the need for greater liaison between hospice staff, and the organ and tissue donation teams.
BACKGROUND: Only a minority of hospice patients eligible to donate tissue and organs choose to do so. Hospice care staff play a key role in discussions about donation, but their willingness to engage in these discussions and their understanding of issues around tissue and organ donation is poorly understood. AIMS: To (i) identify factors associated with the wish of hospice doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants to donate their own organs after death; (ii) survey the experience of discussing the subject with patients; (iii) determine staff members' knowledge of organ and tissue donation and (iv) identify factors associated with knowledge of organ and tissue donation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey of hospice care staff. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: 76 of the 94 care staff of one large UK hospice completed and returned the questionnaire. RESULTS: Staff wishing to donate their organs after death (43/76 56.6%) were more likely to be doctors or nurses than healthcare assistants (p=0.011) and more likely to have discussed organ or tissue donation with their family (p<0.001). Staff reporting ever having discussed donation with patients had more years' experience (p=0.045) and had similarly discussed donation with their own family (p=0.039). Those with greater knowledge were more likely to have discussed organ or tissue donation with a patient (p=0.042). CONCLUSIONS: A reluctance to instigate discussions about organ and tissue donation may prevent palliative patients and their families being allowed the opportunity to donate. Suboptimal knowledge among hospice staff suggests the need for greater liaison between hospice staff, and the organ and tissue donation teams.
Entities:
Keywords:
Communication; Hospice care; organ donation; tissue donation
Authors: Paula Hansen Suss; Victoria Stadler Tasca Ribeiro; Juliette Cieslinski; Letícia Kraft; Felipe Francisco Tuon Journal: Exp Biol Med (Maywood) Date: 2019-01-06