TABLE 5.
Recommendations for peer mentoring program
| Training |
| Empathy |
| • But not just theoretical training about what a helping relationship is, or what an intervention in a crisis situation is. (woman FG2) |
| • If someone wants to help me, that’s fine, but no sympathy. (man FG2) |
| Communication techniques |
| • Active listening, a helping relationship, I guess to a point so we can identify if someone is depressed and hiding it, well, if we get some training and we just talk. (women FG1) |
| • So, I don’t know if training can be provided to mentors who’ll be reaching out, because, in my case, the person I spoke with wasn’t… No, it was rambling, he talked about his job, his kids, but not enough about his transplant experience, before, after, during… It was a lot of rambling, I didn’t find it interesting. (man FG3) |
| Confidentiality issues |
| • Because there’s a good deal of trust established, so he’s comfortable revealing something to you, and you’re just like… (woman FG1) |
| • Right, confidentiality… There are those who don’t understand the notion of keeping something to yourself and… Don’t have the same notion of what should be kept private, for themselves and for others. (woman FG2) |
| Limits to their potential intervention |
| • Someone who gets too attached, and who calls you for everything and nothing! You know, you’re… He thinks you only have him to deal with… Umm, it’s hard… It’s hard to manage, how do you explain that to him, well… (man FG1) |
| • We all have limits, in fact, we need some training, we have our limits, and the part that scares me is maybe getting too involved in the person’s problems. (woman FG2) |
| • I don’t think there’s any danger as long as we leave the treatment aspect out of it, […] but it always depends on us having the judgment to know where to draw the line. (man FG3) |
| Risk of misinformation |
| • Once, while in the waiting room, I overheard a transplant recipient tell a newly transplanted patient how to take her medication, you know, so I just looked at her and she said, “Oh, I think someone here doesn’t agree with what I’m telling you…” But, it’s because… is it really your place to tell her that, to tell her how to take her medication? No, that’s her doctor’s job, you know, like “try taking this one first, and then that one...,” but not you as a patient, because you may take them like that, but as far as that patient taking the medications the same way, well… (man FG1) |
| Design of a peer mentoring program |
| Timing |
| • Just before the surgery: I would have liked for someone to come during the day and talk to me a bit about the transplant, what it does! (man FG3) |
| • During the hospitalization: But I think it would be good if the initial contact were made at the hospital, because if they have more medical questions about their condition, the nurses and doctors are there to answer those questions, that we have... Well, look, I don’t know about that! (man FG1) |
| • When KTRs are at home and their condition stabilizes: When they get out of the hospital, it’s not a good idea right away. Me, I think I’d put it off for a while, maybe after 3 mo because we’re so closely monitored anyway, we have so many things to... It’s not the time to talk to someone really. (man FG3) |
| • Once the medication is stabilized, the stress disappears. That’s the time to start talking prevention, and to say, “OK, in terms of cardiovascular care, exercise is going to be important moving forward…” The possible risks associated with that, cholesterol, all of that. (man FG1) |
| Individual face-to-face meeting |
| • Maybe meet you in person, to go for walk together; I don’t mind if it’s just one person. (woman FG1) |
| • Making a phone call is very easy, but meeting face-to-face, yes, that’s better, but the issue is where, in what location, at what time… That takes much more planning. (man FG1) |
| • I think it’s case by case. Each patient could have the choice of saying, “I want to meet with someone, I’d like to meet with someone my age, whose experience is similar to mine…” And another person could say, “It makes no difference…” (woman FG2) |
| Group meetings |
| • Yes, groups that share a common interest. (woman FG2) |
| • Of course, information and training are never wasted. And being in a group is even better, because everyone shares their experiences and that’s always better. (woman FG2) |
| • Maybe make a small group with everyone and re-explain that we need to be careful, that we’re at greater risk of disease, more susceptible… A quick reminder would be good, I think. It would be a good thing. (woman FG2) |
| • Maybe make a small group with everyone and re-explain that we need to be careful, that we’re at greater risk of disease, more susceptible… A quick reminder would be good, I think. It would be a good thing. (man FG3) |
| Phone calls |
| • Yes, just a quick hello… A phone call is very easy to do. (woman FG1) |
| • You spoke of mentoring, of discussion groups, but also like a crisis line [Aide, J’écoute]… […] A hotline. […] I know that there’s S.O.S. J’écoute… A 911 for kidneys, you know! […] 1 800 – KIDNEY! (women FG2) |
| Web platform |
| • But it could also be a program like that, for newly transplanted patients… You know, a virtual nurse who explains the medications. (woman FG1) |
| • Or having a website, or… We don’t have to travel anywhere! / Yes, a Web platform is needed, that’s for sure… (woman FG2) |
| • But I think, if you pair people up or form small groups of 3 or 4, you can do it by text, in the evening, or by WhatsApp… “I got my creatinine result, I wanna give up today!” “Oh no, it’s OK, it’s good….” You know, hemo at 100, and you know how tired I am… “Ah, but I was in the same boat last week,” you know… OK, so I’m not alone! (woman FG2) |
| Involvement of the medical team |
| • For me, I imagine being teamed up with a clinician, or with someone from the healthcare staff, something like that. Not alone… (man FG1) |
| • I think there needs to be support from professionals. (woman FG2) |