title: EXPERIENCES OF RECIPIENTS AND LIVING DONORS THE FIRST THREE DAYS AFTER KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Living donor transplantation is described as a stressful and complex process for both recipients and donors. Few studies have described the experiences of recipients and donors in the first three post-operative days after living kidney transplantation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore how recipients and living donors experienced the first three post-operative days after kidney transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative phenomenological-hermeneutic framework was used to uncover the meaning of lived experiences through interpretation of transcribed interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven dyads of kidney recipients and donors admitted at a Danish university hospital were included from September 2013 to November 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were analysed using Malterud's principles of systematic text condensation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recipients and donors both experienced post-operative discomfort, though not the same. Both recipients and donors expressed that it gave them peace of mind to be able to follow each other at close hand sharing the same room during the post-operative period. All recipients saw receiving a kidney as a huge gift; donating a kidney gave donors a feeling of satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The first three post-operative days were characterised by different types of post-operative discomfort and caring needs. Recipients and donors all experienced benefits from staying in the same room during hospitalisation. All patients in this study were related; this may have influenced their experiences, choices and opinions.
authors: Department of Renal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors: Kathrine Hainer
authors: KH
authors: Bertelsen
authors: Department of Renal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors: Katrine
authors: K
authors: Rasmussen
authors: Department of Renal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors: Mette Spliid
authors: MS
authors: Ludvigsen
authors: Department of Renal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors: Jeanette
authors: J
authors: Finderup
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011184:Postoperative Period; D036301:Qualitative Research; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D066027:Transplant Recipients / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Lived experience; Living donor; Recipients; Renal transplantation