Explaining the Experience of Organ Transplant Coordinator Nurses Regarding the Process of Obtaining Consent and Organ Donation From Brain-Dead Patients Publisher



Mashayekhi M ; Askaryzadeh Mahani M ; Bahramnezhad F
Source: Global Qualitative Nursing Research Published:2026

Abstract

Brain death, as the irreversible cessation of brain function, provides the possibility of organ donation, yet the consent rate among families in Iran remains low. Transplant coordinators, mostly nurses, play a crucial role in communication, emotional support, and trust-building, while facing significant psychological and professional challenges. The aim of this descriptive qualitative study was to describe transplant coordinators’ experiences and needs in the consent process, with the goal of enhancing performance and ultimately increasing organ donation rates. A purposive sample of 20 transplant coordinator nurses was selected to capture a diverse range of experiences relevant to the study aims, and participants took part in semi-structured interviews. Using inductive content analysis, six main themes were developed to reflect nurses’ experiences in obtaining informed consent for organ donation: professional duality in balancing emotional sensitivity with procedural responsibilities; managing emotional and moral complexities; communication challenges with patients’ families; work-related and psychological pressures during the consent process; the influence of individual values and cultural beliefs; and the need for psychological and organizational support. The findings show that obtaining consent for organ donation is a complex, multi-layered experience beyond simple communication skills, involving moral responsibility, emotional conflicts, cultural beliefs, and severe psychological pressures. Coordinating nurses face professional duality, communication challenges, and a lack of support. The findings highlight the need for supportive, educational, and policy programs to improve care quality and the success of organ donation. © The Author(s) 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).