1PhD Student: Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal; 2Instituto Português do Sangue e Transplantação, Porto, Portugal; 3Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS): Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal; 4University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; 5Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing (UICISA:E) Nursing School of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; 6High Education Institute of Censa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Correspondence: Filipe Lima (filipedglima@hotmail.com)
Introduction
The Portuguese public cord blood bank (BPCCU) has the mission of making available, to all citizens in need, safe and effective hematopoietic progenitor cells for transplantation, from altruistic donations.
The BPCCU established a protocol with maternity hospitals, which, although physically separated, are fixed collection sites, integrate their functional structure and carry out, recruitment and selection of donors, collection, identification and store of umbilical cord blood (UCB) units.
For each maternity there is a coordinator nurse of the BPCCU team, who is responsible for the implementation of the UCB collection process, professional training, process monitoring, results reporting and motivate the midwives/maternity team.
The UCB donation is a time-consuming process. It involves raising the donor's awareness, completing the maternal questionnaire, obtaining informed consent and performing the collecting procedure. It requires the involvement of the maternity professionals who are focused in delivery, which is reflected in the low collection rates (15%), in relation to the number of deliveries performed.
Objective
This study aims to know the motivation of midwives for the UCB collection and to identify the feelings associated with the donation.
Methods
The data were obtained through a semi-structured interview, carried out to 10 Midwives. The interviews were previously scheduled, voluntary and anonymous participation requested. Data were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a content analysis technique.
Results
The analysis of the data allowed the division of the theme of feelings into two categories: feelings associated with the collection process - negative feeling of overload and positive- gratification; and the feelings associated with utility - solidarity, help.
Professionals feel motivated, but recognize that overwork, high discards and the widespread wear felt in the profession can interfere in this process.
They were identified as strategies to increase motivation: greater presence of the team in the maternity; presentation of results; incorporation BPCCU mission and the possibility of gratifications in service improvements.
Conclusion
The results allow infer that professionals recognize their participation in the benevolent and altruistic act of UCB donation, and that in general is associated with positive feelings. Strategic measures to increase motivation have been identified and should be considered to increase the collection rate.
Keywords
Umbilical cord blood donation, fellings, motivation