*Purpose: COVID-19 infection in kidney transplant (KT) recipients is characterized by an unpredictable course and can be life-threatening. Prompt adjustment of immunosuppression and hospitalization when decompensated are potential strategies to increase survival. Our objective is to determine if advanced practice nurse (APN)-driven COVID-19 monitoring would result in better health outcomes for KT recipients.

*Methods: We performed a retrospective study on KT patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between 4/1/2020 and 11/30/2021. The patients were stratified into two groups: (1) a control group who initially presented to the emergency department (ED) with COVID-19 symptoms, (2) an intervention group where patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 outside of the ED and followed by the APN team. The APNs monitored this group daily via telephone and/or video call for symptom assessment, immunosuppression adjustment, health counseling, and emotional support. If the patients were distressed, the APNs arranged admission to the nearest hospital or transplant center. Data were analyzed using Pearson Chi-squared for comparisons and linear or logistic regression modeling with adjustment for age, ethnicity, diabetes, and obesity

*Results: In our cohort, there were 102 KT patients that were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The majority were Hispanic ethnicity and male gender who presented with fever and flu like symptoms. Fourty-four patients required oxygen therapy. Immunosuppression was adjusted earlier in the intervention group . When the APNs recommended hospitalization, those patients experienced less acute kidney injury (AKI), shorter duration of illness, lower readmission rates, and greater survival than the control group.

*Conclusions: In this single transplant center study, KT recipients diagnosed with COVID-19 had better clinical outcomes when intervention occurred in a timely manner by the APN team. Possible explanations include earlier withdrawal of antimetabolites, prompt triage for hospitalization, and enforcing of nursing practices (dietary educations, blood pressure/glucose management, emotional support). Interpretation and generalization of these findings should be cautious due to a small sample size. As more treatment options for COVID-19 emerge, earlier interventions and close monitoring as demonstrated in our APN-driven model has the potential to achieve better health outcomes.

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