Are Front Line Health Professionals Responsible for the Organ Crisis?

Abstract

The process and techniques of organ transplantation have improved significantly; however, there remains a supply-demand mismatch that appears to grow wider as years go by. In this literature review, databases covering published studies from 1990 to 2006 were searched for studies focused on medical doctors' and/or registered nurses' attitudes towards human-to-human organ donation and/or transplantation. The results indicate that healthcare professionals do play a significant part in the procurement of organs for transplantation and may be partly responsible for the lack of transplantable organs available. However, the review further illustrates their complex role within the healthcare system, and suggests that responsibility for organ procurement may be best placed within the domain of specialist personnel.