An evaluation of the nursing care of renal transplant recipients: A qualitative study

Due to the complexity of their medical management, renal transplant recipients are actively encouraged to self-manage their own medication regimens, diet and lifestyle modifications after transplant. Motivation for this study arose from comments made by hospitalised renal transplant recipients regarding aspects of their clinical care that were not given high priority by the ward nurses. The aim of this study was to investigate renal transplant recipients' experience of the care they received while they were inpatients on the renal ward. In this qualitative study the stories of 12 renal transplant recipients were used to evaluate how they felt about their experiences as an inpatient. Patients felt that ward nurses did not understand the importance of immunosuppressive medication and did not value the patient's opinion. They also expressed a fear of contracting an infection. Renal transplant recipients have high expectations about the care they receive when admitted to hospital. As a well-informed group of patients, who would normally be managing their own care at home, renal transplant recipients should be treated with respect and included in decisions about their care.