The Experience of Pediatric Sibling Bone Marrow Transplant Donors: A Literature Review

Pediatric bone marrow transplant donors encounter a unique experience, facing both the implications of undergoing an invasive medical procedure and the preexisting psychological challenges that come with having a chronically ill sibling. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a literature review to synthesize and analyze the current research related to the experience of sibling bone marrow transplant donors. Four common themes developed from the literature to capture the experience of sibling donors. These included physical implications, positive and negative psychological/psychosocial impacts, lack of knowledge surrounding both the recipient’s diagnosis and the bone marrow donation process, as well as the perception of not having a choice in the decision to donate. Nurses have the ability to foster a positive experience for donors by being an advocate, vocalizing sibling donors’ needs and desires, as well as providing education that is age-appropriate. Future research needs to address the impact that varying ages, genders, developmental levels, as well as the success or failure of the transplant have on sibling donors’ experiences.Bachelor of Scienc