Patient education after kidney transplantation – personal experience

Health education is the ability to control one's health in order to support and strengthen it. For patients after kidney transplantation health education is one of the essential aspects of nursing because it affects graft survival. For over five years at the Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases of Medical University in Gdańsk there has been conducted a professional educational program for kidney graft recipients. Comprehensive health education is a team effort, offered by specially trained staff members - educational nurses. The programme is supported by other members of therapeutic team (doctors and dieticians). All patients after kidney transplantation, in various stages of graft insufficiency, were offered health education. Training activities are conducted individually or in groups (in 3 to 5) according to a specified outline, in accordance with commonly accepted principals. During the first two days following transplantation it is necessary to limit the conveyed guidelines because of large doses of immunosuppressants. Typically during this period patients suffer malaise and aren't open to absorbing new information. It is the result of side effects of administered medications, which influence the patients' cognitive abilities. Only after several days after transplantation, when the clinical situation stabilizes, short and frequent educational discussions are being organized. The patient has the possibility to ask questions during educational discussions. If need be the more difficult aspects may be revised. One also needs to observe the language used during the sessions. The implementation of the educational programme is ended with a survey test assessing the final effect of the team's effort. Availability of professional educational programmes organized by nursing staff for patients after kidney transplantation contributes to obtaining rational healthcare and economical advantages, which are noticeable in most patients included in these programmes.

Keywords: Kidney Transplantation