Beyond Dignity‐Focused Care: Clarifying Death‐Determination Communication in DBD Organ Retrieval Nursing

Key Points Operating room nurses' moral distress during DBD organ retrieval may be shaped not only by dignity‐related concerns, but also by uncertainty surrounding death determination by neurologic criteria. Clear pre‐retrieval communication about the completion and meaning of death determination may help nurses reconcile neurologic death with ongoing somatic signs such as warmth, heartbeat, and ventilator‐supported movement. Future research should examine how nurses understand death determination, how this information is communicated within operative teams, and how these factors influence ethical and emotional responses. Dignity‐preserving donor care, structured preoperative briefing, and post‐case debriefing may together provide more comprehensive support for nurses involved in DBD organ retrieval.