Transplant Nurse Specialist

Department:

Status:

Full time

Benefits Eligible:

Yes

Hours Per Week:

40

Schedule Details/Additional Information:

Call requirements would be for Transplant RN Team

Major Responsibilities:

• Acts as a resource to donor hospital representatives and staff in the donation and transplantation process by maintaining ongoing communication.
• Collaborates with the transplant team, including coordinator(s), surgeon(s), and other healthcare professionals to facilitate the organ procurement and preservation process. Ensures all necessary supplies are transported to the donor institution.  Ensures all medical and legal requirements are met prior to recovery of organ(s).
• Acts as a representative of the Aurora Health Care when at recovery sites, interacting with staff at various recovery locations. Promotes an understanding of the organ recovery process and utilization.  Promotes and drives quality of the transplant program in the procurement process.
• Serve as a nursing resource during the organ verification and check-in process to include nursing documentation and nurse to nurse communication. 
• Participates in the perfusion and preservation of the organ at the time of excision.
• Assesses the needs of the patient, plan and implement individualized interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan of care. Includes the patient and family in planning and implementing care and develops and maintains a therapeutic relationship throughout the healthcare continuum.  Administers medications as needed including transplant specific medications according to AAH policy.
• Anticipates and recognizes significant changes in the patient’s condition, status, and need for care. Provides ongoing assessment of the patient and takes appropriate actions when changes occur. Anticipates and alters the plan of care as needed, mobilizes appropriate resources, and collaborates with other health care team members to coordinate patient centered care. Implements strategies to reduce patient risk and increase patient safety. Assesses patient and family readiness to learn and individualizes the approach as necessary. Works collaboratively to develop strategies to meet the learning needs of the patient and family.
• Promotes a culture of safety through identifying threats to patient safety and intervening to prevent patient harm. Reports patient safety events and near misses in a timely manner. Seeks to identify potential safety issues and assists in the implementation of corrective actions.
• Participates in quality/process improvement initiatives to improve the functions of the department and the patient care experience. Participates in professional activities which contribute to personal professional development and the development of others. Seeks opportunities to be taught, coached, and mentored. Attends required meetings/educational programs and completes annual competencies in a timely manner.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.

Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required:

• Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which the team member practices, and
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA).

Education Required:

• Completion of an accredited or approved program in Nursing

Experience Required:

• Typically requires 2 years of experience in clinical (preferable surgical) nursing.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Demonstrates knowledge of advanced anatomy and organ recovery skills.
• Demonstrates progression to provide holistic patient care and the ability to view clinical situations from a patien