Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
06:26
Pre-clinical Model of Cardiac Donation after Circulatory Death
Published on: August 2, 2019
Communicating effectively about donation: an educational intervention to increase consent to donation
Laura A Siminoff1, Heather M Marshall, Levent Dumenci
1Department of Social and Behavioral Health, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980149, 1112 E. Clay St., Richmond, VA 23220, USA. lasiminoff@vcu.edu
Progress in Transplantation (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
|April 4, 2009
Summary
Training organ procurement coordinators in communication skills increased family consent rates for organ donation. This intervention improved coordinator confidence and discussion quality, leading to a higher donation consent rate.
Area of Science:
- Transplantation science
- Medical communication
- Public health
Background:
- Family refusal to consent to organ donation significantly contributes to organ shortages in the US.
- Organ procurement coordinators are identified as key personnel for obtaining family consent.
- Limited research exists on the impact of coordinator training programs on organ donation consent rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the "Communicating Effectively About Donation" intervention on solid organ donation consent rates.
- To assess the impact of enhanced communication skills training for organ procurement coordinators.
Main Methods:
- A nonrandomized repeated measures design was employed.
- The study involved 17 hospitals, 502 donor-eligible patients and families, and 22 coordinators from an Ohio organ procurement organization.
- Coordinators received a day-long training workshop focused on relational and affective communication techniques, including simulated scenarios.
Main Results:
- Coordinator training led to increased comfort in discussing donation and answering questions.
- The intervention resulted in more time spent discussing donation and a greater number of topics covered with families.
- Organ donation consent rates rose from 46.3% to 55.5% following the training.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced communication skills for organ procurement coordinators show promise for increasing family consent to organ donation.
- The study suggests that improving coordinator communication is a viable strategy to address organ deficits.
- Further research is recommended to definitively confirm the intervention's effectiveness.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
A kidney transplant is a surgical approach that involves replacing a non-functioning kidney with a healthy one from a donor. This procedure is often a treatment option for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The method requires careful recipient selection, including evaluating various medical and psychosocial factors. These criteria vary between transplant centers but generally include assessments of the patient's overall health, adherence to medical recommendations, and lifestyle...
01:52Persuasion Strategies
Researchers have tested many persuasion strategies, including the foot-in-the door and the door-in-the-face techniques, in a variety of contexts. Ultimately, the principles are effective in selling products and changing people’s attitude, ideas, and behaviors (Cialdini & Goldstein, 2004).
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
The barriers to effective communication also include cultural barriers, semantic barriers, gender barriers, and time constraints.
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:27Nurses' Legal Responsibilities I
In healthcare, informed consent is a crucial process that involves thoroughly communicating medical treatment options to patients, including benefits, risks, potential side effects, and alternatives. This process enables patients to make well-informed decisions about their care, ensuring they understand the implications of their choices before consenting to or refusing treatment.
The legal responsibilities of a nurse regarding informed consent include the following:
The legal responsibilities of a nurse regarding informed consent include the following:
01:56Ethics in Research
Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.
01:25Role of Communication in the Nursing Process II: Planning and Implementation
Several factors are considered while creating a patient's care plan. Motivation is a factor in improving communication, and patients often require encouragement to try different approaches involving significant change. It is essential to involve the patient and family in decisions about the plan of care to determine whether the suggested methods are acceptable. Consider meeting critical comfort and safety needs before introducing new communication methods and techniques. Allow adequate time for...