Qualitative Research Process Applied to Organ Donation

Abstract

The family interview for organ donation continues to be one of the main concerns of transplant coordinators. We approach the family because we need to know the opinion of the person who has just died about the donation of his or her organs. The objective of this article is to describe how the application of the qualitative methodology has been followed to perceive what the relatives live in the moment in which they are informed of the death of their relative and they are offered the option of organ donation. Phenomenology is a philosophy that deals with the granting of meanings. It can simply describe or try to interpret them. Our informants were selected from among donor families until the 11 families were obtained. We use the Giorgi method because it allows us to identify the essence of a phenomenon and transform the lived experience into a textual expression of its essence. The unit of analysis was, each of the statements of the discourse that describes and interprets a reality, what we call “essence” or “meaning units.” It must be the minimum expression of an episode and the experience in relation to it. We have detected 24 themes of the meaning units are most important for families in our area. Families agree on talking about donation, mourning, death, consolation from the donation, and the importance of the support received. Phenomenology is adequate to deepen into the feelings and interests of families in the process of donation.