Blood and blood component transfusion for Jehovah´s Witnesses: a scoping review

Abstract

Objective: to map studies that address non-transfusion of blood and blood components to Jehovah's Witness patients. Method: this scoping review used the method proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Twelve Brazilian and international databases were searched in October 2020. No time frame was used. Results: of the 1435 articles found in the databases searched, 21 were included in this study. Their contents were summarized into three categories: 1) strategies alternative to the use of blood components; 2) legal approaches to refusal by Jehovah's Witness patients; and 3) bioethical approaches to refusal by Jehovah' s Witness patients. Conclusion: this scoping review mapped the literature and identified the concerns and strategies used in care for Jehovah's Witness patients who refuse transfusions of blood and blood products for religious reasons. Understanding these alternatives will be fundamental to guaranteeing safe care and preserving patient autonomy.