POST TRANSPLANT MEDICINE EDUCATION—A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood 2014-08, Vol.99 (8), p.e3-e3
• Main Authors: Thornhill, T, Hayes, P, Walsh, G, McCulloch, M, Taylor, J, Koffman, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Education; Kidney transplantation; Program Development; Quality of life; Teaching Methods; Young adults
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2014-306798.39

PurposeWe have developed a collaborative post transplant teaching programto enable our children and young people to gain confidence and independence in managing their chronic medication.MethodDescription of our program development.ResultsIt is widely accepted that adherence with life long transplant medicines is a difficult issue particularly for young adults and for those transplanted as toddlers who grow up lacking in education about their condition. Our medicine education programme was developed following regular discussion within our team about service developments and ways to improve our long term clinical care.The programme is led by the senior paediatric renal pharmacist assisted by a paediatric pharmacist, pharmacy technician, clinical nurse specialist and senior medical staff. Following pre-transplant education sessions, introduction medicine education starts prior to discharge from the inpatient unit. These education sessions continue weekly until the patient, family and senior pharmacist are happy with progress and confidence level. The average number of sessions is 6 per patient, with follow up sessions at 3 and 6 months and annually thereafter. Additional sessions are scheduled if issues arise during the child's clinical course.Medicines are organised in a dosette box, initially filled jointly by the senior pharmacist and the child, with the child quickly being given responsibility for filling the box initially under supervision moving to independence on an individually planned schedule.A wide range of issues are discussed during these sessions including medicine interactions, over the counter medicines, herbal products, trouble shooting, vaccinations and contraception.An individual medicine sheet is available electronically which can be updated with ongoing changes whilst a progress sheet allows all members of the transplant team to be kept updated.ConclusionThe success of our kidney transplant programme is multi-factorial but we feel that empowering our young patients to be proactive in their long term care is a key to this success. This positively impacts on their individual quality of life as they have fewer co-morbidities and less inpatient episodes.