Design: Exploratory, qualitative Population: Registered nurses in an urban teaching operating room setting. Sample: N=14 Years: 200-2001 Concepts: Three main areas: 1. Organizational Factors 2. Responsibilities to patient/family 3. Exposure to death and trauma Methods: This qualitative research study explores the reactions of 14 operating room nurses who participate in the procurement of organs for transplant and seeks to unravel factors that contribute to their attitudes.

Results: The results of this study suggest that the process of organ procurement is highly stressful and raises many concerns for OR nurses. Factors which add to their distress include organizational factors including strained relationships within surgical teams, concerns about the wellbeing of the patient and their family and exposure to death and trauma. These experiences result in personal feelings of distress and negative attitudes to the issue of organ donation which may be transmitted to others and undermine organ procurement efforts.

Implications & Conclusions: It is clear that nurses who participated in this qualitative study were profoundly affected by the experience. These experiences result in personal feelings of distress and negative attitudes to the issue of organ donation, and it is important to heed the suggestions of these key players. Possible areas for improvement include increased communication between donor and retrieval centers, information related to success of organ donation, and at what time, and improving the relationship between OR staff at the trauma centre and visiting organ retrieval teams.

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