1. Rethinking elements of informed consent for living kidney donation: findings from a New Zealand study.
- Author
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Shaw, Rhonda M.
- Subjects
TREATMENT of chronic kidney failure ,ALTRUISM ,COMMUNICATION ,CONVALESCENCE ,DECISION making ,ORGAN donation ,EMPLOYMENT ,HEALTH status indicators ,INFORMED consent (Medical law) ,INTERVIEWING ,KIDNEY transplantation ,RESEARCH methodology ,MEDICAL appointments ,MEDICAL personnel ,PATIENT-professional relations ,MOTIVATION (Psychology) ,PATIENT compliance ,PATIENT education ,PATIENTS ,PHYSICIANS ,POSTOPERATIVE care ,PSYCHOLOGISTS ,RELIGION ,RESEARCH funding ,RESOURCE allocation ,HEALTH self-care ,SURGEONS ,TRANSPLANTATION of organs, tissues, etc. ,QUALITATIVE research ,ORGAN donors ,FAMILY relations ,SOCIAL support ,NARRATIVES ,THEMATIC analysis ,PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Living kidney donation is an alternative treatment option for end-stage renal failure. Prospective donors are protected from risk by counselling and assessment processes, to ensure they are fully informed about all the stages of donation. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 25 living kidney donors from across New Zealand, this article discusses donors' experience of the pre-donation screening process, donation workup coordination, psychological preparation, and post-operative follow-up care and support. In particular, the article examines donor perceptions of the informed consent process. The findings indicate that donors' experience of the consent process may be at odds with the New Zealand Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights 1996. Instead of a primary healthcare focus on the threshold elements of informed consent, this study indicates that more effort should be made to adequately inform donors and to clearly spell out each stage of the donation process to better meet donors' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
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