Psychiatric Aspects of Transplantation, I: Evaluation and Selection of Candidates

This article is the first of a 3-part series on psychiatric issues in organ transplantation. In this part, we discuss the evaluation and selection of patients for transplantation, with emphasis on how psychosocial information is used. Although not directly involved in the selection of candidates, critical care nurses may be able to provide relevant clinical observations. In addition, nursing staff who are aware of the unique issues and stressors that face patients awaiting transplantation will be better able to care for these patients