Comparing Attitudes of Nursing Students and Students of Islamic Sciences Regarding Organ Donation after Brain Death inMashhad in 2008

Each year thousands of patients waiting for organ donation because of low donation. Religious beliefs of patient families with brain death are the most important reason for decision making about donation from cadaver. Nursing students and students of Islamic Sciences have an important role in identifying potential donors, encourage and justify family of brain death patient for donation. This study was done for compare attitudes of Nursing and Islamic Sciences of Mashhad city towards organ donation after brain death in 2008. This descriptive study was conducted on 316 students (173 nursing and 143 Islamic sciences) in Mashhad. Data was collected by self –administered questionnaire that reliability and validity has been confirmed and data were analyzed by SPSS version 13 and Chi-Square statistical tests with 0.05 significant levels. In this study 277 (87.6%) cases from total students, 156 (90.2%) nursing students, 124 (87.1%) of Islamic Sciences students were willing to organ donation after death, but only 18 (5.7%) of students, included 16 (9.2%) of nursing students and 2 (1.4%) Islamic Sciences students reported had organ donation card. Spiritual aspect, saving recipient lives, to cause happiness in organ recipient and attention to humanity were respectively important reasons of agreement for donation. Emotional issues, cadaveric manipulation and family refusal were important reason for disagreement of students. An agreement with organ donation is more than to other country. More training is required in this field especially through course resources to increase organ donation and the number of card holder's donation.