When a Patient Does Not Accept Care

A patient might not want to accept care because they:

During evaluation, the transplant team wants to see that the patient can accept care and:

Understand the transplant process involves both the patient and caregiver
Has enough support to get through the process
Can take their medications regularly. (Patients who don’t take medicine correctly are more likely to experience organ rejection)
Will follow recommendations of medical providers

A patient who can’t accept care might not be approved for the transplant waitlist.

Help your patient accept care before and after transplant:

Be patient, gentle, and empathetic
Try to understand why they don’t want to accept care. Ask open-ended questions like:
- “What are your concerns?”
- “What do you think other people will think of you if you accept this care?”
- “How would you like to be supported?”
Actively listen to the patient without interrupting
Don’t tell the patient they are overreacting or shouldn’t feel that way (They might stop saying how they feel or resist care even more)
Start small. Help with small tasks and slowly increase how much care you offer. This might comfort patients who worry about losing their independence.
Talk with the patient about why accepting care is important. Remind them they have a better chance of being on the transplant waitlist. (Be patient – do not try to scare them.)
Ask the transplant team for help talking with the patient.
Encourage the patient to talk with a counselor, social worker, or psychologist. This might help if the patient is refusing care because they are anxious or depressed.

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