title: [Adaptation Experience of Living Kidney Donors after Donation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was done to explore adaptation experience of living kidney donors after donation. Specific aims were to identify challenges donors face in the process of adaptation following surgery and how they interact with recipients and other people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Grounded theory methodology was utilized. Participants were 13 living kidney donors at six months or more after donation. Data were collected by in-depth interviews with individual participants. Data were analyzed using constants comparative method with theoretical saturation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A core category emerged as 'keeping the fences of my family in spite of vulnerability'. The adaptation process after donation was manifested in four phases: exploration, balance, maintenance, and acclimatization. Phenomenon was perception of vulnerability. Strategies to manage the vulnerability were assessing changes of body awareness, tailoring regimen to one's own body condition, coping with health problems, keeping restoration of health, and ruminating on the meaning of one's kidney donation. Consequences were reestablishing family well-being, realizing the values of one's kidney donation, and living with uncertainty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings of the study indicate that there is a need for health professionals to understand the vulnerability of living kidney donors and help their family system maintain a healthy and productive life. The results of this study can be used to develop phase-specific, patient-centered, and tailored interventions for living kidney donors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Kaya University, Gimhae, Korea.
authors.forename: Da Hai Som
authors.initials: da HS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing·Institute of Health Science, Inje University, Busan, Korea. jhyang@inje.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jinhyang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007668:Kidney; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation
keywords: Adaptation; Family; Living donors; Organ transplantation; Qualitative research