The attitude towards organ donation: Differences between students of medicine and nursing. A preliminary study at Unizkm - Catholic University “Our Lady of Good Counsel” of Tirana

Background A favourable attitude towards organ donation and transplantation is fundamental among health professionals to promote consent, especially in a young healthcare system like Albania. Objective To analyse the differences in the attitude towards organ donation and transplantation and the influencing factors among medical doctors- and nurses-to-be. Methods and design The article is based on an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The population includes medical and nursing students of the Catholic University of Good Counsel - Unizkm of Tirana, Albania. Results 389 out of 401 students took part in the investigation, of whom 324 enrolled in the Medicine undergraduate program and 65 in the Nursing undergraduate program. Medical doctors-to-be showed higher awareness about the issue of donation than their colleagues from Nursing, and they were more engaged in discussion with other parties. Conclusion The preliminary results of our pilot study highlight the need to organise more training on the topic of organ donation and transplantation among clinical students, especially those studying Nursing.