Noncompliance in Heart Transplantation: A Role for the Advanced Practice Nurse

Abstract

Many organ transplant recipients experience organ rejection because they are noncompliant with the requirements of the health care regimen. The advanced practice nurse is in an ideal position to assess predictors of noncompliance as well as to implement interventions to enhance patient compliance. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of a young female heart transplant recipient whose death due to organ rejection was related to noncompliance. The role of the advanced practice nurse in reducing noncompliance is identified and relevant nursing interventions are discussed.