Development of an Ethical Response Model for In-hospital Nurse Coordinators Engaged in Organ Transplantation

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25463317
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fundamental nursing
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: SHUDA AKIHIRO 首都大学東京, 人間健康科学研究科, 教授 (60315760)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 院内コーディネーター / 脳死臓器移植 / 看護職 / 倫理的対応モデル / 終末期医療 / 看取り

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aiming to develop an ethical response model, we conducted an interview and questionnaire survey after identifying the ethical issues faced by in-hospital nurse coordinators. Results revealed that 1) there is no demarcation between the time a patient’s life should be saved and when they become a potential organ donor; 2) in-hospital nurse coordinators suffer from psychological distress from being uncertain about life saving and end-of-life care; and 3) in-hospital nurse coordinators experience a conflict between the need to fulfill their roles and the desire to accommodate the grief of families who provide care to terminally ill patients. Furthermore, in-hospital nurse coordinators in Japan faced significant issues with professional autonomy accompanied by discretionary power compared to their counterparts in the US. Based on these findings, we developed the final “ethical response model” comprised of the “basic model for ethical practice” and “response model for ethical issues.”

Free Research Field

基礎看護学