Advanced technology within the cardiac transplant process

The field of cardiac transplantation is still undergoing changes in every sphere from donor management to long-term care of the recipients as research-based experience highlights new and exciting boundaries. This paper contains discussion of one aspect of the pretransplant support that some patients may require, including examples of the impact of technology on nursing care with specific reference to 'bridges to transplantation', and some dilemmas faced by transplant teams. Consideration of some effects of bridging is followed by suggestions for transplant nursing teams' ongoing development within this changing field in order to provide optimum nursing care.