Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Advanced technology in medical and pharmacology has increased surgical survival rates for transplant recipients. Therefore, post-transplant care is critical and tightly connected with key focuses on the recipient’s quality of life (QOL). Post-transplant QOL is multifaceted, encompassing morbidity and personal, social, familial and environmental support for recipients. Post-liver transplantation recovery extends well beyond returning home.METHOD: Building on Wainwright’s research (Wainwright, 2011a, 2011b; Wainwright, Jülich, Waring, Yeung, & Green, 2016), herself a liver transplant recipient, this article reports transplant recipients’ perceptions and experiences after the first three years and discusses how they re-established function in everyday life as they adapted to their new normal to achieve QOL. The research employed interpretive description to interview transcripts and field-notes of 17 liver transplant recipients. Data were evaluated according to inductive thematic analysis. Eschewing the health-related QOL measure for its rigidity and lack of qualitative data, this research captured the lived experiences of liver transplant recipients unlike clinically focused studies.FINDINGS: The results showed that, although transplantation can make positive changes in their lives, recipients continued to be influenced subtly by illness which can alter their re-conceptualisation and re-definition of QOL and normalcy. The success of a liver transplant does not depend only on the physical care given; to the recipients as the spectre of future ill health and transplant failure continue to be perceived as a constant risks. Ongoing support from family, friends, and healthcare professionals are none-the-less fundamental in the post-transplantation journey.
Highlights
Advanced technology in medical and pharmacology has increased surgical survival rates for transplant recipients
The results showed that, transplantation can make positive changes in their lives, recipients continued to be influenced subtly by illness which can alter their reconceptualisation and re-definition of quality of life (QOL) and normalcy
The two emergent themes related to QOL post-surgery on the resumption of valued roles and the description that was common to all participants in the current study as they described this period of their lives: shifting priorities and reclaiming independence and normalcy
Summary
Study designThis qualitative study used Thorne’s (2008) interpretive description methodology, widely used in the applied health disciplines. As the experience of human health and illness is influenced by multiple phenomena, health and social welfare professionals such as social workers can gain a deeper understanding on how people experience their health and illness and what they can do to make a difference (Thorne, Kirkham, & MacDonald-Emes, 1997). This method can reveal common subjective associations, relationships and patterns found under shared conditions to generate an interpretive explanation while exploring variations among individuals (Hunt, 2009). The final group of 17 who were successfully interviewed face-to-face were located across New Zealand
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
