Abstract |
The practice of organ and tissue donation can and must become part of individual and collective consciousness, an example of social sensitization and a point at which our community can come together, which this country so greatly needs in its attempts to respond to the challenges of the times.
The role of the doctors and the nursing staff in the big hospitals is considered especially significant to the development of this program, as is that of the Associations which aim to spread the idea of tissue and organ donation.
Aim: To estimate the knowledge of the nursing staff which works in the public hospitals of the Prefecture of Heraklion in relation to organ donation, as well as to investigate the possible effect of various factors on the public's willingness to donate organs. Material & Method: The research was conducted at the University Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNH) and the General Peripheral Hospital of Heraklion "Venizeleio-Pananeio" in Crete. The sample consisted of 200 nurses, chosen at random, of whom 100 worked at Units and 100 in clinics. The questionnaire is divided into five units: socio-demographic details; knowledge regarding organ donation; experience with organ donation; and willingness to donate. A descriptive statistical analysis was applied. Result: The total knowledge the respondents was counted against the total of correct answers to questions 1-14, in particular with the correct knowledge scale CKN, where CKN=total correct answers/14.
In the entire sample the average CKN was 0.709 with a 1.56 standard of deviation. With regards to the willingness to donate, 79.6% answered in the affirmative, while only 20.4% responded negatively. Conclusion: The results show that the level of knowledge of the nursing staff regarding matters of organ donation was high and in particular there was a small difference in the level of education. It is significant that a very large percentage of people in the field of professional health
Public Health & Health Care Management
Faculty of Medicine – University of Crete
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fear and do not trust organizations and doctors, and maintain a negative stance against organ donation.
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