Abstract
Background
Adherence to immunosuppressive medication therapy is essential for long-term survival
of kidney transplant recipients. This has major implications on quality of life.
Aim
We aimed to identify the nature of the experience of taking immunosuppressive medication
and its implications on kidney transplant recipients.
Methods
The study used a descriptive phenomenological design, applying Giorgi's phenomenological
method. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from 10 kidney transplant
recipients. Giorgi's four-step method was used to analyse the data.
Findings
The structure of the kidney transplant recipients' experiences of immunosuppressive
medication were classified into four themes: “reformulating to the condition,” “resetting
one's framework for living in a changed world,” “tuning to prevent becoming unbalanced,”
and “voluntary restraint for normalising one's new life,” which can be further divided
into 11 subconstituents.
Discussion
As compared to previous studies, our study was novel as it had a patient-centred point
of view and focused on the lives of participants after starting immunosuppressants.
We found that these patients sought stability and normality in their lives and viewed
adherence to pharmacotherapy as a prerequisite to life. Our results may be used by
nurses and healthcare providers as data to understand the perspective of patients
taking immunosuppressants after kidney transplantation.
Conclusion
This study provides a new perspective on the nature of patient experiences with immunosuppressive
medication, instead of views on compliance and noncompliance. It also provides basic
data for research to improve the quality of life and adaptation of kidney transplant
recipients.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 29, 2022
Accepted:
August 31,
2022
Received in revised form:
August 19,
2022
Received:
December 6,
2021
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2022 Australian College of Nursing Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
