Nursing Challenges and Strategies for the Prevention and Management of Post-Transplant Infectious Complications: An Integrative Review
Keywords:
Infections, Organ Transplantation, Infection Control, Nursing Care, Postoperative ComplicationsAbstract
Objective: To analyze the main challenges related to infections in the post-transplant period and the nursing strategies aimed at their prevention and the management of associated complications. Methodological pathway: This is an integrative literature review. The guiding research question was formulated using the PICo strategy. The search was conducted between October and November 2025, with an update in May 2026, in the databases Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) via PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Complete primary studies published between 2015 and 2025, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, addressing care strategies and interventions related to the prevention, monitoring, and management of infections in patients undergoing solid organ transplantation were included. Results: Five studies met the eligibility criteria and comprised the final sample. The identified evidence demonstrated that immunosuppression remains one of the main factors associated with infectious vulnerability in transplant patients. The interventions described included nursing educational programs, implementation of care bundles, antimicrobial stewardship strategies, hospital infection control, and preventive measures aimed at the management of invasive devices and hygiene in daily care. The findings indicated reductions in healthcare-associated infection rates, antimicrobial consumption, length of hospital stay, and improvements in clinical and economic outcomes, although the evidence remains limited and methodologically heterogeneous. Final considerations: The available evidence suggests that systematized care strategies, especially nursing education, continuous clinical surveillance, early detection of infection signs, and implementation of standardized protocols, may contribute to the prevention and management of infectious complications in the post-transplant period. However, the scarcity of studies and the methodological limitations identified reinforce the need for more robust investigations to strengthen the scientific basis and support evidence-based care practices.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Antonia Mylene Sousa Almeida Lima , Vanessa Sousa Bastos, Lidyanne Cardoso Passos, Isadora Cristina Rodrigues Maramaldo, Mariangela Francisca Sampaio Araujo
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