2007 dissonant loss 3

Bereavement Research Forum

15. The circumstances of loss and bereavement associated with organ donation are culturally challenging, especially the post mortem procedures on the body. There is a need for public information and education about the procedures surrounding donation and transplantation, i.e. the concept of death certified by brainstem testing; brainstem testing; the nature of the donation operation (i.e. it is a careful surgical operation) and, the appearance of the donor following the operation. The propriety of the donation operation needs to be stressed in public education and in discussion with bereaved relatives. 16. Most individuals get their information about organ donation from television; therefore, this may be a useful medium for public education. 17. There is a need for the individuals who facilitate the clinical care of donors and their families (e.g. hospital managers) to be, themselves, fully informed of the complex nature of donation events, and the resources needed to provide appropriate care to relatives. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Barber K. Falvey S. Hamilton C. Collett D. and Rudge C. (2006) Potential for organ donation in the United Kingdom: audit of intensive care records. British Medical Journal, 332, 1124 -1127. Bellali T. and Papadatou D. (2007) The decision-making process of parents regarding organ donation of their brain dead child: A Greek study Social Science & Medicine 64: 2, 439-450. Dodd-McCue D. Cowherd R. Iveson A. and Myer K. (2006) Families responses to donor designation in donation cases: a longitudinal study. Progress in Transplantation 16: 2, 150-154. Haddow G. (2005) The phenomenology of death, embodiment and organ transplantation. Sociology of Health & Illness 27:1, 92-113. Human Tissue Authority (2006) Code of practice 2: Donation of organs, tissue and cells fortransplantation. http://www.hta.gov.uk/_db/_documents/2006-07-04_Approved_by_Parliament_- _Code_of_Practice_2_-_Donation_of_Solid_Organs.pdf (Accessed 10.10.07) Long T. and Sque M. (2007) An update on initiatives to increase organ donation: A UK perspective. British Journal of Transplantation 2:2, 10 -15. Long T. Sque M. Payne S. (2006) Information sharing: its impact on donor and nondonor families’ experiences in hospital. Progress in Transplantation 16:2, 144 - 149. Sque M. Long T. and Payne S. (2003) Organ and tissue donation: Exploring the needs of families. BODY www http://body.orpheusweb.co.uk/. Sque M. Long T. and Payne S. (2005) Organ donation: Key factors influencing families’ decision-making. Transplantation Proceedings 37: 2, 543-546. Sque M. Long T. and Payne S. (2006) Exploring the end of life decision-making and hospital experiences of families who did not donate organs or tissues for transplant operations. Final Report for UK Transplant. February. Sque M. Payne S. and Macleod Clark J. (2006) Gift of life or sacrifice?: Key discourses to understanding decision-making by families of organ donors. In Sque M. and Payne S. (eds) Current issues in organ donation and transplantation (special issue) Mortality 11: 2, 117-132. Sque M. and Payne S. (1996) Dissonant Loss: the experiences of donor relatives. Social Science & Medicine 43: 9, 1359-1370. Sque M. and Payne S. (eds) (2007) Organ and tissue donation: an evidence base for practice. Open University Press, Maidenhead. Sque M. Payne S. and Vlachonikolis I. (2000) Cadaveric donotransplantation: nurses’ attitudes, knowledge and behaviour. Social Science & Medicine 50: 4, 541-552. Sque M. (2007) A dissonant loss: The bereavement of donor families. In Sque M. and Payne S. Organ and tissue donation: an evidence base for practice. Maidenhead, Open University, 59-81. Sque M. and Wells J. (2004) Organ donation: Helping patients and families make choices. In Payne S. Seymour J. and Ingleton I. (eds) Palliative care nursing: Principles and evidence for practice. Open University Press, Maidenhead, 472-489. Wells J. and Sque M. (2002) ‘Living choice’: The commitment to tissue donation in palliative care. International Journal of Palliative Nursing. 8: 1, 22-27. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Contact name and detail if you would like further information on this topic and associated research: Dr Magi Sque, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, University of Southampton m.r.sque@soton.ac.uk