Experience on Decision Making to Donate a Living-Related Kidney

Yi, Myung Sun

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand how living-related kidney donors experience to donate a kidney using the Grounded Theory method. Total of 11 kidney donors were participated in the study. Semi-structured individual interviews were utilized to gather data. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Constant comparative analysis was employed using the NUDIST4.0 software program. As a result of analysis "process of decision making" was identified as a core category and the process consists of three stages; the initial, the intermediary, and the last stages. Ten subcategories emerged as important in this process; 1) preceding factors, 2) direct factors, 3) indirect factors, 4) donor characteristics I, 5) wish to give (a kidney), 6) motives and momentums to donate, 7) interfering factors, 8) facilitating factors, 9) donor characteristics II and the 10) final decision to donate. During the initial stage, the donors recognize their wish to give a kidney to the recipient, and the first five subcategories were related to this stage. The intermediary stage is an action stage which involves taking the tests of tissue compatibility with the recipient. The next four categories were related to the intermediary stage. The last stage starts when the donors finally decide to donate a kidney and ends with the operation. The results of this study highlight difficulties and problems, as well as motives and other facilitating factors that people experience to donate a living-related kidney. The results of this study might help nurses and other health care workers make effective interventions to facilitate the decision making process for living-related kidney donors. They might also help in establishing appropriate standards and criteria for the psychosocial aspects of living-related kidney donations.