Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine nursing college students' knowledge of and attitudes toward brain death, organ donation and organ transplantation. The research design utilized in this study was a descriptive research design. The data were collected from September 7 to 14, 1998, by means of strutted questionnaire. To measure students' knowledge of brain death, organ donation and organ transplantation, Joo's(1995) instrument was used. The questionnaire was composed of 22 items. To measure students' attitudes toward organ donation and organ transplantation, s(1995) Instrument was used. The questionnaire was composed of 22 items. The data were analyzed by frequency, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient using the SAS program. The results were as follows : 1. Students' knowledge of brain death, organ donation and organ transplantation was 9-20. The mean score was 15.36, with 22, the highest possible score. There was statistically significant difference between students' knowledge and approval on the brain death recognition group(t=9.75, p=0.002). 2. Students' altitudes toward organ do nation and organ transplantation showed is mean score of 3.61 on a 5 attitudes points Liken scale. More than 80% of respondents agreed that organ transplantation can offer a high quality of life to the recipient and is an acceptable form of medical treatment. The health care costs associated with organ transplantation are worth itif another's life can be saved. Students felt it important to help others who are very ill. Also, by donating organs, students felt a part of their own body would continue to live by making it possible for someone else to live. Only 2.9% of students objected to organ donation for religious reasons. There was statistically significant difference among students' attitudes, experienced blood donor group(t=17.04, p=0.000), approval on the brain death recognition group (t=21.06, p=0.000), organ donation agreement group(t=46.13, p=0.000).

Keywords

• Brain death;
• Organ donation;
• Organ transplantation

• 뇌사;
• 장기기증;
• 장기이식;
• 지식;
• 태도;