Polish Nursing and Midwifery Master’s Students’ Perceptions of Ethical and Legal Dilemmas Related to Brain Death

Abstract

Objectives: This study analyzes the perceptions of master’s nursing and midwifery students regarding ethical and legal dilemmas related to the declaration of brain death. Methods: An anonymized, self-administered web-based survey was conducted among 269 master’s students in nursing and midwifery at Poznan University of Medical Sciences. Results: The most controversial ethical and legal dilemmas concerned the lack of legal consequences for patients’ declarations of will, family objections to organ donation, and sustaining vital functions in pregnant brain-dead patients. While 82.5% accepted the medical definition of brain death, only 53.6% prioritized quality of life over life preservation. Students identified medical knowledge (96.3%) as the most influential factor shaping their attitudes, followed by ethical (66.2%) and religious (45.4%) views. Regression analysis showed that religiosity and age were associated with support for sustaining life functions, while liberal views and a nursing background correlated with greater support for overriding family objections and discontinuing futile therapy. Conclusion: Education in up-to-date medical knowledge should place greater emphasis on professional ethics, legal frameworks, and real-life bioethical dilemmas to better prepare students for clinical challenges.