Page 34 - UNC MC Assistive Personnel Orientation Manual 2020

Transplant Key Points

Solid Organ Transplants performed at UNC MC:
 Kidney, Pancreas, Liver, Heart, and Lung

Do I need to do anything special when taking care of a transplant patient?

 Transplant patients take medications that suppress their immune system so that their body
does not reject their transplanted organ. Because their immune system is suppressed, the
transplant patient is always at risk for developing an infection. The risk is highest during the
first 3-6 months after transplant. To reduce the patient’s risk of developing an infection in
the hospital, the transplant patient is placed on protective precautions.

What are Protective Precautions?
 Protective Precautions are used to protect the patient and reduce their risk of developing an
infection while in the hospital.

Protective Precautions include:

Perform No visitors No live No fresh Patient
hand with plants or fruits or must wear
hygeine infections fresh vegetables a mask
before flowers when out
entering of the
the room room

Notify the Nurse if the patient experiences any of the following:

 Fever > 38 C
 Shortness of breath or chest pain
 Decreased urine output
 Increased swelling/weight gain
 Severe nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
 Increase or decrease in blood pressure

Nursing Practice and Professional Development / Assistive Personnel Orientation Page 31