Kidney Transplant Recipients’ Experiences of Sleep and Coping Strategies: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective To explore the lived experiences of sleep disturbances and coping among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), thereby providing a basis for developing individualized and targeted nursing interventions. Methods A qualitative study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted among 12 KTRs recruited through purposive sampling from the organ transplantation outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital in Shenyang, China, between April and June 2025. Individual semi‐structured face‐to‐face interviews were conducted for data collection. Interview data were analysed using IPA to identify themes and subthemes representing participants' lived experiences of sleep disturbances and coping strategies. Results Four overarching themes and 11 subthemes were identified: (1) disrupted nighttime sleep; (2) emotional distress associated with sleep disturbances; (3) receiving and lacking social support; and (4) self‐adjustment strategies amid sleep difficulties. Conclusion Kidney transplant recipients experienced multidimensional sleep disturbances that were closely intertwined with their emotional well‐being, social support, and self‐adjustment strategies. Participants differed in how they perceived and responded to their sleep difficulties. Future post‐transplant care should place greater emphasis on the assessment of sleep and psychosocial needs, strengthen family and professional support, and provide individualized sleep health education and non‐pharmacological interventions to help improve sleep experiences and quality of life.