Welcome to the Rehabilitation after Solid Organ Transplantation course

‘A life that is saved should also be lived’

The course on Rehabilitation after Solid Organ Transplantation was created by the European Transplant Allied Healthcare Professionals (ETAHP), the ESOT Committee representing European nurses and allied healthcare professionals (AHPs) who wish to promote evidence-based transplant care in order to improve the health and well-being of organ transplant candidates and recipients.

The full course will include 7 modules. The first 3 are now available to the ESOT community, while the remaining ones will be released soon.

Educational objectives

Post-transplant rehabilitation is a dynamic, demanding process involving a transition from pre-transplant severe illness to a state of experienced health, achieved by adjusting to regained physical, psychological, social, and habitual functions. Essential parts of the transitional rehabilitation process consist of symptom management, achieving an optimum level of psychological well-being, social adaptation and reconstructing daily occupations. This course on post-transplant rehabilitation provides an overview on the essentials of how to support rehabilitation after Solid Organ Transplantation with a team-based approach. In the team, the person with an organ is at the centre of the collective efforts of the transplant team.

CME Accreditation

CME Accreditation logoThis course, made available on www.ESOTTransplantlive.org and organised by ESOT, is accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) to award 3 European CME credit (ECMEC®) for each module.

Each medical specialist should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the educational activity. The EACCME is an institution of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). Only those e-learning materials that are displayed on the UEMS-EACCME website have formally been accredited.

Each module includes video lectures, a selection of publications and guidelines suggested by the faculty, and self-assessment quizzes.

In order to qualify for EACCME credits, learners need to complete all educational activities and the EACCME evaluation survey for each module. EACCME credits are assigned per module; learners can collect the credits assigned to each module once they complete it.

The survey is located under the tab "EACCME evaluation survey" in each module. After completing the survey, learners will be able to download the certificate.

Although the self-assessment quizzes are recommended for educational purposes, they are not compulsory for learners who do not wish to collect EACCME® credits.

The 7 modules of this course require a time investment of approximately 21 hours to view the lectures and complete the related educational activities.

All authors and the course editors have declared that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to the material in this course. The production of this course was funded entirely by ESOT. No external sponsorship was received. The material used in this course was prepared in 2023 and in 2024.

Programme

Module Description Activities CME Credits Duration
Module 1: Person-centred care and rehabilitation before and after SOT Patient perspectives by Christian Falck and Pisana Ferrari, and lectures by Anna Forsberg, Lina Rosengren, Cecilia Åkesson Self-assessment, readings, EACCME evaluation survey 3 approximately 3 hours
Module 2: Physical activity, exercise and training before and after SOT Patient perspective by Peter van Maurik, and lectures by Coby Annema, Robert van der Stoep, Christy Walklin Self-assessment, readings, EACCME evaluation survey 3 approximately 3 hours
Module 3: Nutrition before and after SOT – will be released soon Patient perspectives by Bernadette Davis, and lectures by Ruth Kander, Dominique Breakey, Elmi Wopereis Self-assessment, readings, EACCME evaluation survey 3 approximately 3 hours
Module 4: Management of immunosuppression induced symptoms after SOT – will be released soon Patient perspectives by Brian Gracey, and lectures by Danisa Moyo, Anna Brantmark, Martijn van den Hoogen, Emoke Racz Self-assessment, readings, EACCME evaluation survey 3 approximately 3 hours
Module 5: Emotional and social well-being after SOT Patient perspective by Jan Vandorpe, and lectures by Chiara Cavalli and Lucia Golfieri Self-assessment, readings, EACCME evaluation survey 3 approximately 3 hours
Module 6: Sexuality and pregnancy after SOT – will be released soon Patient perspectives by Jessica Speldekamp, and lectures by Hester Pastoor, Marleen van Buren, Margriet de Jong Self-assessment, readings, EACCME evaluation survey 3 approximately 3 hours
Module 7: Self-management after SOT – will be released soon Patient perspectives by Douwe Hooijenga, and lectures by Coby Annema, Emma Massey, Fabienne Dobbels Self-assessment, readings, EACCME evaluation survey 3 approximately 3 hours

 

Module 1: Person-centred care and rehabilitation before and after SOT

The foundation of rehabilitation after Solid Organ Transplantation is that a life that is saved should also be lived. Person-centred care is the basic approach in rehabilitation regardless of indication, condition or disease/disability. The mission is planned, person-centred and goal-oriented rehabilitation. Key elements are self-management and patient empowerment based on the premise that you don’t passively receive rehabilitation as an organ recipient but receives support from the interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary team. As a person you make or carry through rehabilitation by means of an active process in collaboration with the professional team.

Rehabilitation can either be provided interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary. In interdisciplinary rehabilitation different health care professionals collaborate through a horizontal communication and interaction where the organ recipient becomes a valid partner of the team. When multidisciplinary rehabilitation is provided, the organ recipient consults different members of the rehabilitation team independently. However, there are no concurrent goals integrated with the different professionals in the team. Instead the rehabilitation process is evaluated through occasional team rounds.

There is a need for both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary rehabilitation after organ transplantation. To enhance knowledge and skills among transplant professionals regarding how to organise rehabilitation a course is developed by ETAHP also promotion the team approach towards in transplant care.

Learning objectives:

After finalising this module, participants will be able to:

  • understand the relationship between person-centred care and rehabilitation
  • outline and defend the basic principles of rehabilitation
  • describe the specific methodological steps of rehabilitation
  • present how to assess rehabilitation needs after solid organ transplantation
  • outline the essentials of goal setting in rehabilitation
  • distinguish between interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary rehabilitation and present a plan for rehabilitation needs after solid organ transplantation
  • advocate the team approach towards post-transplant rehabilitation.

To obtain your credits, please complete the EACCME evaluation survey located under the tab "EACCME evaluation survey" in each module.

Module 2: Physical activity, exercise and training before and after SOT

The evidence and knowledge about physical activity and exercise recommendation in solid transplantation is growing. Physical activity and exercise play a crucial role in maintaining and improving cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength and is beneficial on short- and long-term health outcomes. Despite these health effects, maintaining daily physical activity remains a challenge for transplant candidates and recipients. In this module the most important exercise goals and recommendations in transplantation management care will be discussed.

Learning objectives:

After finalising this module, participants will be able to:

  • name the benefits of physical activity and exercise before and after Solid Organ Transplantation
  • recognise the differences between physical activity and exercise training before and after Solid Organ Transplantation
  • recognise pre-operative exercise goals prior to Solid Organ Transplantation
  • recognise post-operative exercise goals in the clinical phase after Solid Organ Transplantation
  • recognise post-operative exercise goals in the post-clinical phase after Solid Organ Transplantation.

To obtain your credits, please complete the EACCME evaluation survey located under the tab "EACCME evaluation survey" in each module.

Module 5: Emotional and social well-being after SOT

The evidence and knowledge about phycological evaluation and assistance recommendation in solid organ transplantation are growing. The psychopathology or insufficient internal and external psychological resources of the patient can lead to poor quality of life and can impact adherence to post-transplant pharmacological treatment and survival. In this module, psychological evaluation and intervention in the pre- and post-transplant period will be discussed.

Learning objectives:

After finalising this module, participants will have:

  • knowledge of the psychological aspects before and after SOT and their implications for patients and for medical adherence knowledge of the impact of psychological aspects in the quality of life
  • understanding of the goals of psychological evaluation and criteria
  • knowledge of the psychological tools for assessing the psychological aspects, cognitive status, and quality of life of patients
  • ability to analyse the role of caregivers in improving the well being of patients and their families
  • knowledge of the methods of treatment of psychological problems after SOT.

To obtain your credits, please complete the EACCME evaluation survey located under the tab "EACCME evaluation survey" in each module.