Kidney Donor Perspectives on Acute Postoperative Pain Management.
Nathan J Dreesmann, Wonkyung Jung, Makiah Shebaili and 1 others
PMID 36912100WHAT IT FOUND
Living kidney donors described postoperative pain as surprising and often worse than expected, especially if they had no prior surgical history.
Gas pain and nausea were major complaints. Nurses supported donors through education, medication management, and encouraging movement.
Key findings
01Seventy percent of donors reported moments of extreme pain, and bloating or gas pain was a serious issue for many, affecting their ability to move and recover.
02Lack of prior painful experiences led to unclear expectations and anxiety, making the postoperative pain more surprising and harder to cope with for some donors.
03Donors used both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies, including movement, breathing techniques, and pillow bracing, to manage pain and side effects like nausea and dizziness.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (13 donors) limits generalizability. Interviews occurred on postoperative days two to four, so early pain experiences may have been missed or recalled differently. Participants may have been reluctant to criticize care teams while still hospitalized. All donors were from a single hospital program, which may affect transferability.
Declared interests
None reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this study as evidence that specific pain management protocols reduce pain intensity. It describes donors' subjective experiences and coping strategies, not the efficacy of interventions.