Seeking consent for organ donation: Process evaluation of implementing a new Specialist Requester nursing role

To explain the differences in organ donation consent outcomes of a new nursing role (Specialist Requesters) derived from the United States (US) compared with the existing nursing role (Specialist Nurses in Organ Donation).

Thirty-month observational qualitative process evaluation: Implementation theory-informed analysis.

Qualitative content analysis of free text describing challenges, processes and practice from 996 bespoke routinely collected potential organ donor 'approach forms' from two regions: one where there was no difference, and one with an observed difference in consent outcomes.

Region A consent rate: Specialist Requester 75.8%, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation71.8%. Region B consent rate: Specialist Requester 71.4%, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation 82%. Region A Specialist Requesters turned the family position from no or uncertain to support organ donation in 73% of cases, compared with 27.4% in Region B. Two Specialist Requesters in Region A were highly effective. Region B experienced problems with intervention fidelity and implementation.

The benefits of the Specialist Requester role remain unclear. Positive differences in consent rates achieved by Specialist Requesters in the originator region reduced over time and have yet to be successfully replicated in other regions.

The impact of Specialist Requesters on consent outcomes varied across regions and it was not known why. Specialist Requesters in Region A were better at getting family member(s) to support organ donation. In Region B, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation consent rates were higher and problems with intervention fidelity were identified (recruitment, staffing, less experience). Policy makers need to understand it is not just a matter of waiting for the Specialist Requester intervention to work. Ongoing training and recruiting the right people with the right skills need to be addressed and consistently reviewed.