Peer Mentoring as an Avenue to Explore in Kidney Transplantation: Kidney Transplant Recipients’ Perspectives on Peer Mentoring

Abstract

Background. Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) face numerous challenges following transplantation. Given that healthcare professionals do not necessarily have first-hand experience living with or waiting for a transplant, it may be hard for them to communicate with and help patients when it comes to transplant-related issues. KTRs have experiential knowledge, which could enable them to help other patients going through similar situations. Peer mentoring involves pairing mentees with individuals who have had similar experiences, to provide training, information, and emotional support. The aim of this study was to gather KTRs’ perspectives on a potential peer mentoring program. Methods. A total of 13 KTRs took part in focus groups between June 2017 and March 2018. The focus group discussions were digitally recorded and transcribed. The content of the interviews was analyzed using the qualitative data analysis method, including deductive and inductive coding techniques. Results. All participants were supportive of a peer mentoring program as it is a convenient and user-friendly way to address posttransplant concerns. Peer mentoring was also viewed as a way to communicate with other patients who have gone through similar experiences and relieve the loneliness and isolation some participants experienced subsequent to their transplant. Young female participants expressed a need to connect with other young, female transplant recipients to be able to discuss issues such as pregnancy, sexuality, and body image. Conclusions. KTRs who participated in this study expressed a need for the development of a peer mentoring program to help other KTRs face the medical (including cardiovascular disease), social, and psychological challenges associated with kidney transplantation. The results of this study are the first step in the development of a structured peer mentoring program at the kidney transplantation clinic.

Social support mediates the relationship between illness perception and psychosocial adaptation among young and middle-aged kidney transplant recipients in China

“…In order to help kidney transplant recipients improve their self-management skills, prolong graft function, and maintain psychological well-being, clinical nurses should concentrate on meeting their emotional and social support needs (Pisanti et al, 2014;Been-Dahmen et al, 2018). Some researchers have pointed out that through the adoption of a kidney transplant patient support program, sharing disease experiences may improve patients' postoperative loneliness and assists them in increasing their selfconfidence after kidney transplantation (Pomey et al, 2021). Medical staff should provide appropriate medical support services, while clinical nurses should fully mobilize the patient's family members to encourage them to actively participate in the recovery and care of the kidney transplant recipient.…”

Perspectives of Kidney Transplant Recipients, Transplant Candidates, and Living Kidney Donors on the Role of Patients’ Self-Narratives and Experiences of Creative Writing Workshops: A Qualitative Study

“… 36 - 38 As we have shown, KTRs viewed peer support and peer mentoring as a way of addressing transplant concerns and relieving loneliness and isolation. 39 In the present study, sharing self-narratives both before and during the creative writing workshops provided opportunities for normalization and relativization. In addition to the impacts of sharing self-narratives, during the creative writing workshops a unique type of learning arose from the group-facilitated reflection around stories.…”

Living Kidney Donation Stories and Advice Shared Through a Digital Storytelling Library: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis

“… 38 , 39 Participants in a recent exploratory study on peer mentorship for posttransplant patients reported that peer support provided a convenient and user-friendly way to address transplant-related concerns. 40 Peer mentorship has also been shown to be a valuable way of creating a community to help alleviate loneliness and isolation, which is common among posttransplant patients. 40 Digital stories do differ from traditional peer mentoring because of the unidirectional nature of the communication.…”

“… 40 Peer mentorship has also been shown to be a valuable way of creating a community to help alleviate loneliness and isolation, which is common among posttransplant patients. 40 Digital stories do differ from traditional peer mentoring because of the unidirectional nature of the communication. However, in a world of remote telemedicine and difficulty matching real-life mentors with patients or family members/friends in person, viewing these stories may be a valuable starting point, particularly for those who cannot come to a transplant center to meet others.…”