Operating Room Nurses' Experiences in Donation After Brain Death Organ Retrieval Surgery: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

Operating room nurses involved in DBD organ retrieval surgery face profound ethical dilemmas, emotional distress, and professional challenges in a practice area that remains comparatively under-examined. This study focused on donation after brain death (DBD) and explored operating room nurses' experiences during DBD organ retrieval surgery. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of Korean operating room nurses involved in these procedures, with a focus on the meanings and impacts derived from their participation. Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with 10 nurses from two university hospitals in South Korea. Data were analyzed through Colaizzi's method, and four central themes emerged: confronting a sudden surge of disorientation; experiencing emotional detachment when confronted by stark reality; reflection on a dignified death; developing professionalism and ethics through inner growth. The findings underscore the need for nursing-focused education and support systems to sustain perioperative nurses' moral resilience and well-being.