Haamid Siddique1, Yasser Abulhasan2, Maria Gomez3, Amina Randhawa3, Matthew Kirschen4, Panayiotis Varelas5, Lori Shutter6
1Critical Care Division, IHI, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, 2Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, 3National Center for Organ Donation and Transplant, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, 4Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania, 5Department of Neurology, Albany Medical College, 6Dept of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh / UPMC
Objective:
To assess knowledge about determination of brain death (BD) through surveys completed before, immediately after, and 10-months following a BD Workshop.
Background:
Determination of BD is less common and requires different skills than determination of cardiopulmonary death. Educational programs regarding BD determination have proliferated with unknown effects. This study assessed whether a BD workshop led to improved and retained knowledge of participants.
Design/Methods:
This prospective observational study was conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A survey pertinent to BD determination in children and adults based on the 2023 American Academy of Neurology Guidelines was administered to all participants at the beginning and end of the Workshop. Participants were asked to complete the survey 10-months later to assess knowledge retention.
Results:
The pre-workshop survey had 250 respondents, predominantly 20-59 years old (95%), with a slight male majority (53%). Most participants were physicians (56%) or nurses (30%) and identified as critical care specialists. Prior to the workshop, 47% reported not performing BD evaluations, and 64% had not performed one in the last six months. At the 10-month follow-up, 42% had not performed a BD evaluation. Before the workshop, 62% felt comfortable explaining BD, increasing to 75% immediately after, and remaining high at 75% at 10-month follow-up. Prior to the workshop 48% faced opposition from families when testing for BD, and 46% when withdrawing care, with 19% citing legal restrictions. On follow-up, opposition decreased to 28% for testing and 38% for withdrawing care. Average BD knowledge-based test scores improved from 48% pre-workshop to 71% immediately post-workshop but declined to 50% on 10-month follow-up.
Conclusions:
The BD Workshop provided education that persisted. Test scores significantly improved immediately after the workshop but declined to almost pre-test levels on 10-month follow-up. However, there was a sustained gain in comfort explaining BD over the study period.
Disclaimer: Abstracts were not reviewed by Neurology® and do not reflect the views of Neurology® editors or staff.