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MA/PhD Theses Abstracts of Current Students & Alumni |
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LeFor, Belinda L., December 1989 - THE FORMATION OF A SELF-HELP GROUP FOR KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS
Abstract: Kidney transplant recipients have special emotional needs that are difficult to meet in a clinic setting, where the primary focus is on the patient's physical health. People who have not had transplants frequently have difficulty understanding the rapid physical, mental, and emotional changes that a recipient undergoes after receiving a kidney transplant. The nature of kidney failure often means that patients have limited interaction with people other than family members, and therefore have little opportunity to exchange thoughts and feelings with others who may be experiencing the same things. Such interaction is desirable, because it allows the recipients to learn that their problems are unique, but not singular, and also provides them the opportunity to discover how other people cope with recovery from a transplant. In order to help their recipients achieve as "normal" a lifestyle as possible, the staff of one large organ transplant program formed a self-help group for them. Participant observation was utilized to study the clinic setting and the interactions among the staff and patients. Structured interviews were held with selected patients in order to determine how many recipients were interested in helping to form a self-help group, and to determine the variety of activities in which they would like to participate. Questionnaires were sent to all patients who are followed through the transplant clinic, asking for their suggestions for the group. The interview findings and questionnaires supported the idea of a self-help group and the first meeting was held. Shortly after the first meeting, several developments occurred which eventually brought about the demise of the group. The staff member who was the primary liaison between the group and the organization resigned her position, and none of the remaining recipient coordinators was interested in assuming her responsibilities with the self-help group. The patient who had accepted the responsibility for leading the group began to experience kidney transplant rejection, and his declining health precluded any future involvement with the group. As a result, the group dissolved, and there is currently no formal mechanism by which the patients of this transplant program can interact.
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