Aim of the study

Analysis of the expectations of nursing staff regarding the organisation and provision of health education in patients before and after kidney transplantation.

Material and methods

The study involved a total of 100 nurses. The study was conducted among nursing staff with a minimum of one year’s work experience in their current workplace, delivering direct care to patients before and after kidney transplantation. The research tool was an originally developed questionnaire.

Results

80% of the study’s respondents stated that their workplace did not include the position of an educator providing education to patients before and after kidney transplantation. The respondents’ expectations regarding the organisation of patient education were related primarily to improved availability of educational programmes and recommendations for patients (98%). With respect to expectations for the provision of education to patients before and after kidney transplantation, 93% of the respondents expected patients to receive educational materials.

Conclusions

Half of the respondents’ workplaces lack specialised educational teams, and education was provided mainly by teams consisting of a physician and a nurse. Nurses expect the availability of educational teams consisting of various health professionals, and the involvement of psychologists in the patient education system. In the opinion of nursing staff, hospital wards should have guidelines and educational programmes as well as patient manuals. Education should commence in the specialist outpatient clinic before patients are admitted to the ward for kidney transplantation. The expectations of nursing staff regarding the organisation and delivery of health education depend on the number of patients treated in the ward.