Impact of Organ Donation Education on US Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Experts advocate educational programs addressing misinformation regarding donation decisions to increase the potential donor pool. However, few researchers have measured outcomes with nursing students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, registering as an organ donor, and family discussions. This quasi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The research group consisted of 42 volunteers and the control group consisted of 73 volunteers. The written survey included 15 true-false knowledge items and 8 Likert items asking about attitude toward donation, registering as an organ donor, and family discussion. Normally distributed data showed no significant differences between groups on the pretest. The research group had no change in knowledge level 3 months later, but the control group had a significantly decreased knowledge level at that point. More members of the research group than the control group registered as organ donors after the intervention (χ2 = 4.5, P = .03). The control group had no change in registering as an organ donor between the pretest and posttest. Family discussions did not differ significantly from pretest to posttest in either group. One lecture/laboratory experience did make a difference in registering as an organ donor but not in discussing the decision with family members. Students can learn about organ donation from more than one specific class. Recommendations for educators and future research are provided.