Resilience among organ donation coordinators: a Canadian mixed-methods study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare professional well-being
• Occupational health psychology
• Organ donation and transplantation research

Background:

• Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators (OTDCs) are vital for deceased organ donation success.
• Reduced resilience in OTDCs can negatively impact patient care and lead to work-related issues.
• This study investigates resilience levels and influencing factors among Canadian OTDCs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the extent of resilience among Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators in Canada.
• To identify factors that influence resilience in this professional group.
• To inform the development of targeted interventions for improving OTDC well-being.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method (QUAN-qual) explanatory sequential design was employed.
• Quantitative data collected via online cross-sectional surveys with validated scales.
• Qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis.

Main Results:

• 120 participants completed the survey; 39 were interviewed. Most were female (82%) registered nurses (97%), average age 42.
• OTDCs reported high compassion satisfaction (36.3) but lower resilience (28.5) compared to other healthcare professionals.
• Higher resilience was associated with over one year of experience; difficulty developing healthy coping strategies was noted, with some using unhealthy mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Resilience is critical for OTDC work-related well-being.
• Challenges in developing healthy coping strategies contribute to burnout and negative work outcomes.
• Findings will guide the creation of interventions to enhance resilience and healthy coping mechanisms for Canadian OTDCs.