Evaluation of Nursing Students’ Attitudes Towards Organ Transplantation/Donation: A Scoping Review

English (OpenAlex)

Aim: In the context of the community, health professionals represent one of the most influential groups in terms of generating opinions. The objective of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the studies examining nursing students' attitudes towards organ transplantation/donation and to identify gaps in the literature to guide future studies. Method: In total 1645 studies published in ‘Medline’, ‘PubMed’, ‘Science Direct’, ‘Scopus’ and ‘Google Scholar’ databases between 2018 and 2023 were analysed. Eighteen studies were included in this study. This study followed the PRISMA guidelines. Results: It was determined that 71.7% to 88.9% of nursing students exhibited a favorable attitude toward organ transplantation and donation. Additionally, 70% to 42.1% of the students demonstrated knowledge about organ donation and attitudes related to it. Furthermore, it was discovered that the majority of students lacked a donor card. The two most important elements affecting students' opinions about organ donation and transplantation were found to be "religious beliefs" and "disruption of body integrity." Conclusions: Despite the generally positive attitudes of nursing students towards organ transplantation and donation, there are a number of existing educational deficiencies that require attention. Through educational activities and continuous information, negative attitudes and opinions that create barriers to organ transplantation in the minds of students will be eliminated. In this way, the increasing positive attitudes and awareness of the students will be reflected in their environment and society, and negative opinions and misinformation on the subject will be eliminated.