The need for renovating patient education in kidney transplantation: A qualitative study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many kidney transplant recipients lack the knowledge, abilities, and support they need for self-care. On the other hand, most kidney transplant centers do not have a well-planned and specific training program for them, and educational interventions for kidney transplant recipients have not been adequately effective. This study aimed to describe strategies for improving patient education in kidney transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected through semi-structured individual and group interviews with 24 patients, family members, and health-care staff in one of the main kidney transplant centers in Tehran. Participants were selected purposefully, and qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The main finding emerged from the data was the shift from current patient education program to patient- and family-centered education (PFCE). The strategies to achieve this goal were categorized into four main categories including “continuous patient and family education” (pre- and posttransplant patient education), “facilitating the process” (using new technologies, teamwork education, and patient and family accessibility), “strengthening human resources” (empowerment health-care team, allocation of human resources, promoting staffs' motivation, and updating educational content and materials), and “monitoring and evaluation” (correcting patient education recording, supervising the patient education, and appropriate educational evaluation). CONCLUSIONS: Transforming from the current patient education program to PFCE seems to be essential to increase the effectiveness of patient education in kidney transplant process. To this end, providing continuous patient and family education, facilitating the processes, strengthening human resources, and monitoring and evaluation in health-care organizations conducting the kidney transplantation is necessary.

Comprehensive Review of Urinary Tract Infections in Renal Transplant Recipients: Clinical Insights and Management Strategies

“…Equipping recipients with this knowledge empowers them to actively participate in their health and well-being. Early recognition of UTIs and timely reporting of symptoms to healthcare providers facilitate prompt intervention and the prevention of complications [ 64 ].…”

Applying Person-Centered Care Model in the Postoperative Period of Renal Transplant Recipients: A Comprehensive Nursing Approach

“…After transplantation, the individual remains hospitalized for an average of five to ten days before being discharged home [23]. During this hospitalization period, various events can occur, such as post-surgery complications, for example, deep vein thrombosis, paralytic ileus, bleeding, renal artery thrombosis, urinary fistula, lymphocele, infection, pain, and rejection, among others [24].…”