Structured nursing consultation programs in the pre- and post-liver transplant period: A Scoping Review Protocol

ABSTRACTObjective: To map and synthesize the evidence on structured nursing consultation programs for people in the pre- and/or post-liver transplant phase, identifying their characteristics, objectives, interventions performed, implementation contexts, and reported results.Introduction: Liver transplantation is the primary treatment for end-stage liver failure, involving a complex process before and after surgery. Nursing consultations are crucial for patient preparation, monitoring, and promoting adherence to therapy. Structured nursing programs with evidence-based interventions can enhance safety and continuity of care for transplant recipients. However, the implementation, characteristics, and outcomes of these programs are not well-documented in the literature.Inclusion Criteria: Studies with adults (18 years or older) who are candidates for liver transplantation and/or who have undergone liver transplantation will be included, and may include nursing professionals involved in the consultation programs. Studies with structured nursing consultation programs and systematized interventions will be included in any context of health care provision (hospital, outpatient, transplant units, home care). No geographical or temporal restriction will be applied.Methods: An initial limited search in Medline and CINAHL will be conducted, followed by a second search for published and unpublished studies without publication date limitations in MEDLINE® with Full Text, CINAHL® Plus with Full Text, MedicLatina™, SCIELO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and JBI Evidence Synthesis. Two reviewers will independently conduct the study selection. After retrieving full-text studies, reference analysis, methodological quality assessment, and data extraction will also be independently conducted by two reviewers. Results will be accompanied by a narrative synthesis or meta-analysis, if appropriate.Conclusion: This review will provide a helpful knowledge base for clinical practice and the development of more effective, person-centred nursing consultation programmes in liver transplantation.