• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of patients on the waiting list for kidney retransplantation. Methods: The data were collected by individual in-depth interviews of nine patients who were dialyzed after primary kidney graft dysfunction and were waiting for deceased donor kidney retransplantation. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed, and were analyzed using a phenomenological method. Results: The findings included 5 theme clusters and 13 sub-themes. The 5 clusters were 'Diagnosed with chronic renal failure and dialysis: Broken daily life and crisis', 'Kidney transplantation: The only way to escape from dialysis', 'Kidney graft failure: Inevitable moving backward to hemodialysis', 'Self-management of re-dialysis patients: Growth through pain', and 'The waiting for kidney retransplantation: To try again in the hope of getting a new life'. Conclusion: This study provides a deep understanding of patients with dialysis who are waiting for deceased donor kidney retransplantation. On the basis of the findings of this study, health professionals can provide customized information and develop effective nursing interventions to improve the self-management of these patients.