Teaching organ and tissue donation in medical and nursing education: A needs assessment

Context: Research on organ donation education is limited by its reliance on convenience samples (ie, small sample sizes and local schools) and its failure to assess methods of instruction on the topic. Objective: To describe medical and nursing students' training in organ donation by examining curriculum content and methods of instruction by using a national sample of medical schools and a statewide sample (New York) of nursing schools. Design: Self-report online survey. Participants: Nursing and medical deans responsible for curriculum development and evaluation. Main Outcome Measure: Participants provided information on the inclusion of specific topics in organ donation, skills related to organ donation, and the declaration of personal donation intentions within their respective educational programs. Methods of instruction on such topics (eg, standardized patients, lectures, small groups) also were assessed. Results: Although many educational programs include an organ donation component, a significant proportion of schools failed to provide instruction on donation consent processes, definitions of brain and cardiac death, and the discussion of organ donation during a routine health care visit. Most schools rely on lectures as the sole method of instruction. Recommendations are made for how deficits in instruction might be addressed through future interventions and education.