Situations of stress experienced by nursing staff in the care of the potential organ donor

Abstract

Objective: the objective is to identify situations of stress experienced by the members of the nursing staff of Intensive Care Unit to care for a potential organ donor. Method: Qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, with fourteen members of the nursing staff who work with the potential organ donor. The data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed on the basis of the analysis of thematic content. Results: Health professionals feel threatened to identify with the situation of the person in brain death, by the fear of the death itself, with the doubt in relation to brain death and also because of the feeling of failure as a professional. Conclusion: The nursing staff in front of the potential organ donor comes under stressful situations, having to overcome the challenges and to mobilize strategies from the situations that are presented.