Invited Manuscript Poster on Renal-Related Education American Society of Nephrology, Nov. 16–21, 2010 Improving Access to Kidney Transplant Information has Increased Preemptive Living Kidney Donation

Abstract

Transplantation provides the best outcomes and quality of life for people with end-stage renal disease and therefore offers the optimum treatment of choice. Preemptive living donor (LD) transplantation is an increasingly preferable alternative to dialysis as transplantation outcomes indicate lower morbidity and mortality rates and greater graft and patient survival rates compared to those who are transplanted after dialysis has commenced. Despite nursing and medical teams giving information to patients regarding transplantation and living donation, the number of people coming forward for preemptive transplant work-up remained limited. Changing the format, environment, and quality of information given to patients and families seemed necessary in order to increase the number of preemptive transplants. Our data show that we have improved the access to the information seminars with attendance rising from 5 to 15 attendees per seminar (3 per year) in 2005 to average 65 attendees per seminar (6 per year) in 2010. By expanding the access to information for patients, their families and friends, living donation has increased with a growth in the proportion of preemptive LD transplants from 28% (23/81) in 2006 to 44% in 2010 (29/66; p = 0.05). We can conclude that expanding the pool accessing information has increased the number of preemptive (LD) transplants in our center.

Strategies for Increasing Knowledge, Communication, and Access to Living Donor Transplantation: an Evidence Review to Inform Patient Education

“…23 The program is offered by a multi-disciplinary team every 2 months (6 times per year) on a Saturday to pre-dialysis patients and their family/friends, as well as to all patients on the kidney waitlist, and to all dialysis patients not yet waitlisted but deemed suitable for transplant. [Figure 6]…”

“…23 The investigators report a growth in program attendance and a significant increase in the percentage of LDKTs that were preemptive at their center (from 28% to 44%). The percentage of non-blood-related donors among total living donors increased from 28% to 41% (statistical significance not reported).…”

“…The intervention is targeted toward (but not exclusive to) preemptive kidney transplantation, and consists of formal talks, facilitated discussion during break-out sessions, audiovisual aides, and an information packet, along with follow-up contact by a transplant coordinator to determine if more information is needed. 23 The program is offered by a multi-disciplinary team every 2 months (6 times per year) on a Saturday to pre-dialysis patients and their family/friends, as well as to all patients on the kidney waitlist, and to all dialysis patients not yet waitlisted but deemed suitable for transplant. [Figure 6]…”

“…Analyses are based on comparisons of outcomes collected annually during a period spanning 3 years before and 3 years after the program began to be offered at a single center. 23 The investigators report a growth in program attendance and a significant increase in the percentage of LDKTs that were preemptive at their center (from 28% to 44%). The percentage of non-blood-related donors among total living donors increased from 28% to 41% (statistical significance not reported).…”

Creating the nursing care map in the evaluation of kidney transplant candidates: A scoping review and narrative synthesis

“…Regarding the educational needs of individuals with CKD who are candidates for KT, the review presents a general consensus on the need for care plans focusing on training and empowerment of certain characteristics among this population in order to enhance the benefits of KT treatment (Aghakhani et al, 2021 ; Brown et al, 2011 ; Buahin & Curran, 2012 ). A number of reports point out that these care plans are often unavailable or are not systematically provided to the whole population with the objectives described (Ghadami et al, 2012 ; Bennett & Hany, 2009 ; Luk, 2004 ), and that these educational plans should be led by expert advanced practice nurses (Aghakhani et al, 2021 ; Beck et al, 2019 ; Ghadami et al, 2012 ; Li et al, 2020 ; Luk, 2004 ).…”