Registered Nurse Kidney Organ Transplant Coordinator

Scope

• The Organ Transplant Coordinator manages care of the patient from referral through post-op management, discharge planning, and long term follow-up.
• Through assessment, planning, and advocacy, this role is the liaison between the transplant physicians, referring physicians, transplant recipients and their families, living donors and their families, and outside agencies.
• The incumbent must make independent decisions regarding various aspects of care and treatment within established protocols.
• The coordinator must perform and problem solve through stressful situations.
• Each coordinator may have a specialty area of focus but will be required to be knowledgeable in other specialties in order to provide on-call coverage.

Job EssentialsCLINICAL:

• Facilitates care of the end stage organ failure patient referred to transplant program.
• Coordinates patient entry and introduction to the transplant program.
• Coordinates medical, surgical, financial, psychosocial, nutrition, and pharmaceutical evaluation and on-going care needs of transplant and living donor patients.
• Participates in patient care planning and selection conference.
• Lists patients for transplant in a timely manner to facilitate access to donated organs.
• Registers living donors for directed and non-directed donation in a timely manner to facilitate matching in the transplant program and paired exchange registries, if applicable.
• Maintains the UNOS waiting list according to program policies and procedures, regulatory requirements, and national guidelines.
• Remains knowledgeable of all listed patients' status to ensure patient safety and facilitate organ placement in collaboration with transplant physicians.
• Facilitates patient care as case manager for transplant patients and living donors pre-operatively, inpatient, discharge planning and discharge, post-discharge, and for an indefinite period of time as determined by the multidisciplinary transplant team.
• Functions as part of the multidisciplinary transplant team; communicates patient needs to transplant team members.
• Must be able to provide age-specific care and intervention.
• Assesses, plans, and advocates for the patient and families in coordination of care along the continuum with the transplant team, support personnel, community physicians, and outside agencies.
• Provides accurate and timely documentation of care.
• Demonstrates ability to independently make complex care decisions within established protocols.
• Uses critical thinking skills through the process, and involves the patient, family, community physicians and ancillary providers, and the multidisciplinary team to establish and update the plan of care appropriately.
• Provides coordination of patient care and facilitates organ acquisition and transplantation through effective performance of on-call responsibilities in collaboration with transplant physicians.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT:

• Assists in the collection and analysis of data as requested by transplant physicians, leadership, regulatory agencies, and various research protocols.
• Participates in quality monitoring and process improvement activities and programs.
• Knowledgeable of regulations related to transplantation and living organ donation and follows program policy, procedures, and guidelines to ensure compliance.
• Assesses and intervenes in critical areas of education need related to transplantation, organ procurement, deceased organ donation, and living organ donation standards and practices within the transplant program as well as throughout the hospital.
• Participates in community and professional education to promote organ donation and transplantation.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

• Participates in on-going transplant and organ donation education through attendance at professional meetings, webinars, and literature review.
• Serves as a pathfinder and clinical expert by participating in, coordinating, developing, and implementing transplant program initiatives while monitoring and ensuring effective outcomes.
• Models professional behavior and acts as a resource, consultant, and mentor within their specialty area.
• Utilizes current research to create and improve evidence based nursing practice and to guide the development of standards for nursing care in their specialty area.

Minimum Qualifications:

• RN license to practice in state(s) where care is provided.
• Basic Life Support Certification (BLS) for healthcare providers.
• Unit specific certification as required (BLS, ACLS, PALS, etc).
• Clinical Certification of Transplant Coordinators (CCTC) or obtain within three years of hire/transfer into this job.
• RNs hired or promoted into this role need to have or obtain their BSN within three years of hire or promotion.
• Two years of acute care RN experience.
• Available to perform after hour and weekend call rotation.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective interpersonal problem solving, prioritization, and independent judgement skills demonstrated in a fast-paced, challenging work environment.
• Experience in a role that requires working well under pressure.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing (BSN). Eduation must be obtained from an accredited institution. Degree will be verified.
• Clinical Certification of Transplant Coordinators (CCTC).
• Three years acute care or charge nurse experience.
• Two years organ transplant coordination experience.

Physical Requirements:

• Ongoing need for employee to see and read information, labels, monitors, identify equipment and supplies, and be able to assess patient needs.

• Frequent interactions with patient care providers, patients, and visitors that require employee to verbally communicate as well as hear and understand spoken information, alarms, needs, and issues quickly and accurately, particularly during emergency situations.

• Manual dexterity of hands and fingers to manipulate complex and delicate equipment with precision and accuracy. This includes frequent computer use and typing for documenting patient care, accessing needed information, etc.

Location:
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