Attitudes of Critical Care Nurses Toward Organ Donation

In October, 1987, federal legislation requiring hospitals to develop protocols to encourage organ and tissue donation went into effect. Despite required request legislation, a lack of donors still exists. The attitudes of the critical care nurses caring for potential organ donors may have an effect on the actual donation of organs. This author describes how knowledge level and experience with organ donors and recipients affected the attitudes of two groups of critical care nurses towards organ donation.