The surgical procedure for patients undergoing lung and heart-lung transplantation, conventional discharge criteria following the surgery, and common transplant-related complications will be reviewed. The impact of transplant on the routine illnesses experienced by people living in the community will also be discussed, including special nursing considerations when caring for patients following lung or heart-lung transplantation. As transplant recipients return to their homes and communities, it is likely that they will first come to their local hospital to care of these illnesses. Knowledgeable care by nurses in that local hospital will promote successful recovery.