The Role of Nurses in the Risk Management of Organ and Tissue Donation

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings Vol. 42; no. 6; pp. 2200 - 2201
• Main Author: Saviozzi, A
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01-07-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Health participants; Humans; Medical sciences; Nurse's Role; Nurses; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk Management; Safety; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tissue and Organ Procurement - standards; Tissue, organ and graft immunology; Transplantation - standards; Human; Medicine; Ethics; Organ donation; Treatment; Tissue donation; Health staff; Surgery; Graft; Transplantation; Risk management; Nurse
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2010.05.044

Abstract In the setting of organ and tissue procurement, lack of transplantation and the resulting missed opportunity for wait-listed patients might be considered as an untoward effect, since it results in longer wait-list times, higher mortality rates for potential candidates, and harm to the entire society. Beyond the classical definition holding that an adverse event is the inadvertent transmission of disease from a donor to a recipient, we advocate it should also include nonreporting of potential deceased donors; unsuccessful donor management; failure in organ/tissue procurement as the result of impossibility to assess brain death, lack of clinical data, or technical problems during surgical procedures. Based on their education, experience, and competencies, nurses share the responsibility to participate in the evaluation of risks and in the implementation of appropriate strategies for error prevention during the entire procurement process.