Organ and tissue donation: scientific production by Portuguese nurses in Masters degrees’ studies

Abstract

Background: The process of donating organs is necessary for transplantation. Post-graduate training of nurses throughout the entire donation process is crucial. Objective: Characterize the Master’s training that Portuguese nurses performed in organ and tissue donation. Methodology: Search for Masters’ degree programs in the Repositório Cientifico de Acesso Aberto em Portugal, using the search terms ‘organ donor’, ‘organ donation’ and ‘brain death’. As inclusion criteria the Master’s studies performed by nurses that approached the theme of organ and tissue donation and collection were selected. Results: Twenty-four Master’s works were identified that dealt with the subject of organ donation and harvesting and brain death. Of these, 14 were performed by nurses. Discussion: Of the 14 Master’s studies carried out by nurses, four are scientific dissertations, one project work and the remaining nine refer to reports of internships in professional medical-surgical nursing and the critical care where they approach the organ donation process. Conclusion: Nurses can make a difference in identifying potential donors if they detain professional and ongoing training on the organ donation process.