Establishing a transplant coordinator-led living kidney donor follow-up clinic.
BACKGROUND
The long-term risks of renal failure and hypertension are statistically low for living kidney donors as a group, but can have serious consequences for the individual.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the experience with a transplant coordinator-led living donor follow-up clinic.


METHODS
Living kidney donors are reviewed on an annual basis by a designated coordinator (registered nurse). A 24-hour urine collection estimates renal function. Blood pressure and blood chemistry are measured and urinalysis performed. Current health status and wound discomfort are assessed. Any medical problems identified are referred to a specialist hospital department or to the donor's family practitioner.


RESULTS
Fifty-nine appointments were booked and 12 (20%) donors did not attend. Renal function was within acceptable limits for all attending donors. Three donors had raised blood glucose levels and 8 donors were hypertensive; all were referred to family practitioners. Forty-seven donors (35 new, 12 return) completed a questionnaire on the follow-up provided. Thirty-eight (81%) were satisfied with the follow-up, and 47 (100%) agreed this clinic provided adequate follow-up. Thirty-three (70%) donors stated they preferred that the transplant coordinator performed the follow-up, 3 (6%) preferred the family practitioner, and 11 (23%) had no preference.


CONCLUSIONS
There are many possible solutions to the provision of lifelong care of living kidney donors. The model of a transplant coordinator-led clinic appears to have a high degree of patient acceptance, perhaps because of the continuity of care provided by a known member of the transplant team. Further work is required to identify reasons for nonattendance.
Lumsdaine
Jennifer A
JA
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Wigmore
Stephen J
SJ
Wooton
Donna
D
Stewart
Casey
C
Akyol
Murat
M
Forsythe
John L R
JL
D000359:Aftercare / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation