Parents' readiness for pediatric kidney transplantation and treatment lifestyle

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the process by which pediatric kidney transplantation therapy leads to lifestyle changes in medical and health adherence. For over 60 years, pediatric transplantation has been the treatment of choice for children with end-stage kidney disease (ESRD); the researcher discussed parent preparation and education on the step-by-step approach to pediatric kidney transplantation. Renal transplantation is a collaborative team effort, involving readiness processes both before and after transplantation. This study employed a phenomenological research method, focusing on how the research questions animated the treatment lifestyle, the information gained within this lifestyle, and how the experience and knowledge serve as a guided approach to the experiential workings of a transplanted lifestyle. The primary research effort defined how pediatric kidney transplant parents, caretakers, and families prepare and manage transplantation. To conduct the study, the researcher will pose the following question: (a) How are parents of transplanted recipients ready for a lifetime of care? (b) When does a transplantation life for the parent go from aiding the survivor to a transplant educator? (c) How do transplant parents transfer what they have learned into shared knowledge and lifestyle practices? To examine these experiences, the researcher met with participants and conducted one-on-one and focus group interviews on how transplantation transformed their individual and family lifestyles. The effort brought their experiences to the forefront, allowing participants to share and reflect on their work as parents caring for a child who had undergone a transplant. This research captured parents' steps and overall strengths that they experienced as they actively cared for and treated their children. The findings raise empathy and knowledge of the transplant treatment and lifestyle changes in parents undergoing pediatric transplantation. Keywords: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT), Transplantation, Peritoneal Dialysis, Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Nephrology.