Pilot Survey of Attitudes Toward Xenotransplantation Among Nursing Students in London, UK.

Background: Solid organ xenotransplantation has been approved for clinical trials in the United States. Because of the role of nurses in patient decision-making, it is important to understand the attitudes of the future nursing workforce toward xenotransplantation. This pilot study aimed to investigate the attitudes of adult nursing students toward xenotransplantation.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used. The online pilot survey was completed by 33 undergraduate adult nursing students at one university in London, England. A minority of the hospitals that students may have had a clinical placement in had a transplant unit. The protocol for this study was reviewed and approved by the university research ethics panel.

Results: Fifty-two percent of students viewed xenotransplantation positively when the risks and outcomes were equal to allotransplantation. Students were most positive toward accepting a liver from an animal source and the most negative toward accepting a heart. There was limited concern about the potential psychosocial effects of xenotransplantation. Students believed that xenotransplantation involved several risks, including immunologic, infection, and raising religious, ethical, and philosophical problems.

Conclusion: While participants had a moderately positive view toward xenotransplantation when the risks and outcomes were equal to allotransplantation-this dropped significantly if it produced worse outcomes. Their primary concerns about xenotransplantation were its potential infection risks as well as the ethical, philosophical, and religious problems it raises. The fact that the source organs are genetically engineered made students view xenotransplantation more favorably.