The experience of adults patients in daily life after kidney transplantation : A descriptive literature review

Background: Kidney transplantation is the most common surgical treatment for patients with nephritis at this stage and is more effective than dialysis. Kidney transplantation may affect the patients’ quality of life. To improve patients' health and living standards, it is necessary for medical workers to pay attention to patients' experience.Aim: To describe the experience of adults’ patients in daily life after kidney transplantation.Design：Descriptive review of qualitative studiesMethods: PUBMED and CINAHL databases were used to search for qualitative study on daily life experience of kidney transplant patients and to address research questions. In this review, all the articles were carefully read, analyse the results, compares them, and categorizes the differences and similarities.Results: 10 articles are included in the review. Four categories emerge from the research: 1) The dual character of physiology; 2) Mixtures of emotions; 3) Complicated social networks; 4) Postoperative self management.Conclusions: Returning to normal life for adult patients after kidney transplant surgery is a huge challenge -- support systems are needed in this process. Inadequate healthcare support systems, psychological support systems and social support systems lack information to support patients in self-management and prevent them from returning to normal life. Nurses should give patients more humanized care and take professional and targeted measures to help patients return to life based on the experience of patients who have successfully returned to life.Keywords: Experience, Kidney transplantation, Patients, Qualitative research