Noncompliance: Nursing Diagnosis & Nursing Care Plan
Noncompliance is literally defined as the patient’s failure to comply with the prescribed treatment regimen for his/her full recovery from such illness or disease.
Health education or health teachings is one of the key factors in achieving the client’s full compliance to his/her treatment. It will have a detailed information about a specific treatment and procedures to be done to the patient. Moreover, it will give the benefits of such treatment needed.
However, after full health education or teachings done by health professionals, noncompliance to treatment can still occur. This will not guarantee the patient’s full compliance on his/her treatment regimen. Several factors are considered why patients don not comply with such treatment. Cultural and health beliefs are the major factors that may cause noncompliance.
In addition to, stressful lifestyles, poverty, lack of social support can also lead to noncompliance. Noncompliance is harmful to patients undergoing treatment because it does not restore one’s health rather it will develop complications and secondary diseases. As a result, full health restoration of the patient may be impossible or hard to achieve at this point.
Causative/related factors:
- Health beliefs
- Cultural beliefs
- Religious beliefs
- Nurse-patient relationships
- Lack of financial support
- Lack of support groups
- Lack of knowledge on the benefits of compliance to such treatment
Defining Characteristics
- Verbalization of lack of financial support
- Lack of support groups
- Poor knowledge on the importance of completing treatment
- Contradicting health, cultural and religious beliefs
- Lack of motivation
Nursing Assessment
| Assessment | Rationale |
| 1. assess the patient’s health problem perceptions | It will let the nurse determine the client’s knowledge level on his/her diseases/illness |
| 2. determine the client’s existing health, cultural and religious beliefs regarding present illness | It will serve as a basis in planning appropriate treatment regimen to the patient in relation to his/her beliefs. |
| 3. determine the client’s past history of noncompliance to treatment and possible reasons | It will serve as a guide for the nurse on the presence of noncompliance to previous treatment |
Desired Outcomes
- Increase knowledge on the benefits and importance of complying to such treatment
- Presence of support groups in dealing with patient’s compliance to treatment
- Gradual health restoration with minimal or no complications developed
- Proper intake of medicines following the prescribed dosage and duration
- Maintained medical appointments
Nursing Interventions/Rationale
| Nursing Interventions | Rationale |
| 1. Educate the patient and the family members on the treatment regimen that the patient will undergo | It increases awareness of the importance of completing the prescribed treatment. It provides increase compliance to such treatment. |
| 2. develop a therapeutic relationship between and among the patient and significant others | This will let the patient gain trust from the nurse and will boost confidence in the completion of the treatment |
| 3. include the patient in planning the proper treatment for him/her | It will motivate the patient to plan achievable goals regarding the treatment |
| 4. supervise the patient during the administration of medications | It will ensure the strict compliance of the treatment plan |
| 5. Provide social support from family member | It will motivate the patient in following the treatment plan with the support of immediate family members |
| Collaborative | |
| 1. refer the patient to attending physician if complications arise | It will let the health care team on what particular treatment is needed |
| 2. refer to social agencies if the patient lacks financial resources | This will provide continuity of the treatment by all means |