Heart Transplant Coordinator

Vanderbilt University Medical Center•Nashville, TN

About The Position

The Heart Transplant Coordinator facilitates and coordinates evaluation of potential transplant and/or living donor candidates. The role also supports care coordination and discharge planning for transplant recipients and living donors hospitalized for transplantation, donation, or post-operative complications. The coordinator provides clinical management for transplant recipients and/or living donors receiving outpatient follow-up, in collaboration with attending physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical transplant pharmacists, social workers, and other members of the transplant team. The position is part of Vanderbilt Health’s Heart Transplant Program, a multidisciplinary program serving patients with complex cardiac conditions and performing adult and pediatric heart transplants, including multi-organ transplants. Coordinators educate patients and families throughout evaluation, waiting, and long-term follow-up, monitor progress after transplantation or donation, and support current transplantation nursing practices and improvements aimed at optimal outcomes.

Requirements

Registered Nurse licensure.
Bachelor's degree.
Two years of relevant work experience.
Intermediate transplant coordination capability, including the ability to coordinate care and support patients and families managing complex, lifelong therapies.
Intermediate nursing patient assessment and evaluation capability, including conducting patient interviews and physical examinations.
Intermediate nursing patient education capability, including providing health education independently.

Responsibilities

Coordinate evaluation of potential transplant candidates and/or living donors in collaboration with physicians and other health care professionals.
Educate patients and families about the transplant process, evaluation and waiting phases, long-term follow-up and care, and living donation when applicable.
Monitor patient progress and provide clinical management after transplantation and living donation.
Ensure current transplantation nursing practices are used and provide system improvements to support optimal transplant outcomes.
Keep referring physicians informed about all phases of the transplant process.
Assist with care coordination and discharge processes for transplant recipients and living donors hospitalized for transplantation, living donation, or post-operative complications.
Provide outpatient clinical management in collaboration with the transplant team.
Support patients and families in planning, implementing, and evaluating care, including adherence to complex, lifelong therapies.