During the waiting period, the transplant coordinators maintain regular contact with the patient, family members, local physicians, and dialysis units. The schedule for living donor evaluation and transplantation is made jointly by the transplant coordinators, transplant surgeons, local nephrologist and the urology staff. Hospitalization Patients undergo a pretransplant evaluation upon admission. After surgery, adult patients are moved to the Transplant Unit, and pediatric patients are moved to the Children's Hospital within UW Hospital and Clinics. In both settings, patients receive specialized posttransplant care by the medical and nursing staff.
Immunosuppression is administered according to well-established protocols.
A primary nurse assigned to each patient enhances continuity of medical care and psychosocial support, provides additional patient teaching, and coordinates discharge planning. Discharge planning includes daily group education classes and individual instruction, as well as input from social workers and transplant coordinators. All patients are in contact with the transplant coordinators two to three times per week in the immediate postdischarge period. Posttransplant follow-up testing is performed on a regular basis at a local hospital or clinical laboratory, with the results reported to the transplant office. In addition, patients must be seen regularly at the UW Transplant Clinic, to monitor their condition and make adjustments to their immunosuppresive regimen.