From gift to mutilation: Exploring nursing Students' metaphorical conceptions of organ donation: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background

Understanding nursing students' perspectives on organ donation is essential to foster positive attitudes and increase donation rates.

Objective

This study aimed to uncover the metaphors used by nursing students to describe organ donation, revealing their underlying perceptions and beliefs.

Design

A qualitative metaphor analysis study.

Methods

This study was conducted at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Bucak Health College with 318 nursing students in Turkey. Data were collected through written responses and analyzed using metaphor analysis. The surveys, composed of open-ended questions to elicit nursing students' metaphors of organ donation, were distributed to the participants. The collected data were named, classified, and categorized.

Results

In this study, students produced 311 valid metaphors related to organ donation. The metaphors revealing the students' perceptions of the concept of organ donation were grouped under 10 categories. Nursing students in this study expressed both positive metaphorical concepts, such as ‘gift box,’ ‘rainbow bridge,’ ‘Candle in the dark,’ and ‘new beginning,’ as well as negative metaphorical concepts, such as ‘soldier on the battlefield,’ ‘heavy load,’ and ‘disfigurement’ associated with organ donation.

Conclusion

The findings reveal a wide spectrum of metaphorical perceptions among nursing students, ranging from highly positive to very negative. This variability underscores the need for targeted educational strategies to address divergent attitudes and misconceptions, fostering more consistent and informed perspectives on organ donation in nursing education.