Challenges in the Management of Care of Brain-Dead Patients in the Donation Process: A Qualitative Content Analysis

BACKGROUND: In care of brain-dead patients, nurses face several challenges. It is important to determine the context behind these challenges since they affect the performance of nurses and the organ donation process. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors affecting the emergence of challenges related to the management of brain-dead patients by nurses in the donation process. METHODS: In this qualitative conventional content analysis, data were collected by performing 28 semi-structured and in-depth interviews with nurses working in the ICUs. Purposive sampling started from March 2014 until saturation, which was reached in June 2016. Data analysis occurred simultaneously with data collection. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis of contents provided from interviews led to the extraction of themes that showed the experience of nurses about the challenges of caring for brain-dead patients in the donation process. These themes included “doubt and conflict in accepting the situation” and “defects in an effective and targeted care system.” In the end, the main theme of “inconsistency and incompatibility of care management” was abstracted. CONCLUSION: According to the results of the study, factors involved in the emergence of challenges for nurses in care management included defects in education or managerial problems, which increased tension for nurses.