The purpose of the present study is to identify the stressors experienced by family members during the process of organ donation, evince the most distressful moment of the process and verify the association of variable with the family members' experience. The sample consisted of 16 family members that were making the donation through a Organ Search Organization, in São Paulo, in 2007. A structured instrument was used, containing question addressing the family members' experience and their evaluation of the donation process. The main stressors reported were: dissatisfaction with the service (31.25%); receiving a harsh notification about the individual's brain death (62.50%); and the wait to release the body (62.50%), which was considered the most distressful moment of the process. Using the phi coefficient, it was found that there was a moderate association between the variables of interest with the family's experience. In conclusion, the donation process is stressful on the family and nursing care is necessary in each stage of the process to offer support and reduce the distress on the family members.
Transplants; Family; Stress; Brain death; Nursing care
