Dialysis, Distress, and Difficult Conversations: Living with a Kidney Transplant

Background: Providing holistic care to kidney patients is important; however, without full consideration of the perspectives of people living with a kidney transplant, the provision of truly ‘holistic healthcare’ cannot be possible. It is imperative to understand patient experiences by including kid...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Healthcare (Basel) 2022-06, Vol.10 (7), p.1177
Main Authors: McKeaveney, Clare, Noble, Helen, Courtney, Aisling E, Griffin, Sian, Gill, Paul, Johnston, William, Maxwell, Alexander P, Teasdale, Francesca, Reid, Joanne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Health aspects
holistic
interpretative phenomenological analysis
Interviews
kidney
Kidney diseases
Kidney transplants
Kidneys
Medical research
Organ transplant recipients
Peritoneal dialysis
Psychological aspects
qualitative
Qualitative research
Quality of life
transplant
Transplantation
wellbeing
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Summary:Background: Providing holistic care to kidney patients is important; however, without full consideration of the perspectives of people living with a kidney transplant, the provision of truly ‘holistic healthcare’ cannot be possible. It is imperative to understand patient experiences by including kidney patients in key strategies and future renal service planning. Ignoring these important patient views means that there is a significant risk of inappropriate renal service provision and lack of adequate support, impacting overall health. The aim of this study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of kidney transplant recipients. Methods: A total of 23 participants were recruited between two regional nephrology units within the United Kingdom via clinical gatekeepers. In-depth interviews were undertaken. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Two themes emerged: “managing ongoing fears of dialysis, distress, and COVID-19” and “dealing with difficult conversations”. Conclusions: Renal healthcare professionals need to understand more than the biological impact of receiving a kidney transplant. Understanding the holistic and multidomain experiences that these participants experience will help healthcare professionals to recognize the needs of this group and ensure more responsive psychosocial care.
ISSN:2227-9032
2227-9032
DOI:10.3390/healthcare10071177