Empowerment Based on the Support System of Iran's Organ Procurement Centers in Identifying Organ Donors in Critical Wards of Hospitals Affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Identifying potential cases of brain death is the first step of the organ donation process. The present study aimed to determine the effect of empowerment based on the Iranian OPUs supporting system (IROSS)on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of intensive care nurses in identifying potential organ donors. In a quasi-experimental study, 80 nurses from the intensive care unit and emergency department of two hospitals affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences were selected by convenience sampling and then randomly distributed into two groups, namely the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received IrOSS-based empowerment through workshops, lectures, role-playing, observation, and presence at the patients' bedside, and then, they were followed up for 2 months. Before and immediately after the intervention, as well as 2 months later, the knowledge and attitudes questionnaires and the practice checklist were completed by the two groups. Before the intervention, the mean score of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the intervention group was not significantly different from that of the control group (P >0.05). However, immediately after the intervention and 2 months afterward, the statistical difference was positive (P <0.01), as the repeated measures analysis of variance showed an increasing trend in the mean score of knowledge, attitudes, and practices in three different situations in the intervention group (P <0.05). The empowerment of nurses using the IrOSS were effective in identifying potential organ donors.