Attitudes of hospital staff involved in organ donation to the procedure

Hospital staff have a key function in asking for potential organ donors, but little is known about their own attitudes towards donation. In a community hospital with 7–8 multi-organ extraction procedures each year 199 staff members were surveyed. Although only 7 % of the responding staff would personally refuse to donate an organ, 23 % would not give consent to organ donation from a close relative. 47 % of those prepared to be donors had signed a donor card. Donors informed their family more frequently (88 %) about their personal attitude towards organ donation than non-donors (60 %), or undecided personnel (43,8 %; chi-square P = 0,004). No significant difference in attitude according to medical profession subgroups was found. The findings are in line with general population surveys and indicate that much work needs to be done to encourage medical staff involved in organ donation to set an example to the community. Received: 14 June 1999/Revised: 17 February 2000/Accepted: 18 April 2000