Nurses' Perceptions and Experiences of Transition for Adolescents with

Solid Organ Transplants

Angie Lim

ful transition

We may have images of this…

But in reality…

Transplantation

Issue?

Transition

Principles of Transition

• Collaboration among patients, families and health care practitioners

• Based in theories of anticipatory guidance

• Dependent on acquisition of self-management skills

Goals• Facilitate uninterrupted, coordinated, developmentally appropriate,

comprehensive care

• Encourage patient/family to promote independence and self-responsibility

• Provide opportunities to develop problem solving, goal-setting and self-advocacy skills

• Establish a sense of personal identity with less dependence on parents or other care providers

• Anticipatory guidance

Challenges• Medical, social, physical & psychological implications

compounded by concurrent transfer of care

• Different models of care in pediatric and adult centres

• Significant importance placed on the healthcare provider relationship by adolescents/families

• Perceive negative difference in the overall quality of care/atmosphere at adult centres

Current Consensus

• Pediatric and adult health care teams both play essential roles in the transition experience for adolescent transplant recipients

• There is need for a formalized transition program

…However

• Although widely agreed that transition interventions are needed - little evidence to support what types of interventions make a difference in the successful transition of youth

• Nurses are in a pivotal position to initiate and continue education from the time of diagnosis through to successful transfer

Implications for Research

Other Considerations

• Health literacy – how do adolescents interpret and understand the information?

• Knowledge translation – what is the best way to communicate with adolescents about self-management and preparing for transition?

• Anything else?

Next Step…

• Decide on a methodology!