Post-Organ Transplant Care
Published: 29 February 2024
Published: 29 February 2024
Organ transplantation is when an organ is removed from one person's body (a donor) and placed into another person’s body (a recipient) (Better Health Channel 2023).
Most organ donors are deceased, but living people are able to donate a kidney, part of their liver or bone tissue (The Organ and Tissue Authority 2018; Better Health Channel 2023).
Deceased organ donors usually need to die in a hospital on a ventilator in the intensive care unit, as their organs must be in good condition in order to be transplanted (The Organ and Tissue Authority 2021).
Those who receive an organ transplant are usually seriously ill or dying from organ failure (DoHaAC 2020).
Generally, organ transplantation is considered only after other treatment options have been attempted (Healthdirect 2023).
(DoHaAC 2020)
Benefits | Risks |
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(NHSBT 2021; Hertl 2022)
Organ transplantation between two people who are not genetically identical is known as allotransplantation (Better Health Channel 2023).
Following allotransplantation, the recipient’s immune system might attack and destroy the donated organ because it is foreign to the recipient’s body. This is a complication known as rejection (Better Health Channel 2023).
There are two types of rejection:
(NKF 2023)
In order to reduce the risk of rejection, the recipient may need to take immunosuppressive medication for the rest of their life (Better Health Channel 2023). However, suppressing the immune system will inevitably increase the recipient’s risk of contracting infections (Healthdirect 2023).
The long-term success of a transplant relies on:
(NKF 2023)
When caring for a person who has undergone organ transplantation, it’s important to consider the following:
(NKF 2023)
Those who have undergone organ transplantation will be more susceptible to infection if taking an immunosuppressive medicine. In order to reduce the recipient’s risk of infection, it’s important to follow all infection control principles. For more information, see Ausmed’s Training Module on Infection Prevention and Control.
You should escalate care if the patient displays any of the following signs:
(NKF 2023)
Increased vulnerability to infection means the recipient is also at greater risk of food poisoning. Therefore, food safety principles should always be followed, and the recipient should avoid high-risk foods such as unpasteurised milk, untreated water, and undercooked meats, fish and eggs (Transplant Australia 2023).
Infection control is especially crucial as organ transplant recipients can never be given certain live vaccines after their transplant, including MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) and varicella, leaving them more vulnerable to these illnesses if not already vaccinated (NKF 2023; AIH 2023).
Organ transplant recipients should maintain a healthy lifestyle by refraining from smoking, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet (Healthdirect 2023).
Recipients should also avoid lifting heavy objects for at least eight weeks after the surgery, avoid driving for a few weeks after the surgery and avoid alcohol until advised that it’s safe to resume (Transplant Australia 2023).
People who have undergone organ transplantation may feel a variety of emotions, both positive and negative. These might include:
(Transplant Australia 2023; NKF 2023)
Ensure organ transplant recipients in your care have access to appropriate support to help them navigate these feelings and escalate care if necessary.
Question 1 of 3
True or false: Post-organ transplant, the organ recipient cannot receive certain vaccines.