Heart Transplant Coordinator

Vanderbilt University Medical Center•Nashville, TN

About The Position

The Heart Transplant Coordinator facilitates and coordinates the evaluation of potential transplant and/or living donor candidates. The role supports care coordination and discharge for transplant recipients and living donors hospitalized for transplantation, donation, or post-operative complications. It also provides clinical management to transplant recipients and/or living donors followed as outpatients, in collaboration with attending physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical transplant pharmacists, and social workers. The coordinator educates patients and families about the transplant process, evaluation and waiting phases, long-term follow-up and care, and living donation when applicable. The role monitors progress following transplantation or living donation, applies current transplantation nursing practices, contributes to system improvements that support optimal outcomes, and keeps referring physicians informed throughout the transplant process. The position is part of Vanderbilt Health’s multidisciplinary Heart Transplant Program, which provides adult and pediatric heart transplantation, including multi-organ procedures, and care for patients with complex cardiac conditions. The program also works with advanced therapies such as ventricular assist devices (VADs) and ECMO.

Requirements

Registered Nurse licensure (LIC-Registered Nurse).
Bachelor’s degree.
Two years of relevant work experience.
Intermediate-level capability in transplant coordination, including supporting complex, lifelong therapies and patient adherence.
Intermediate-level capability in nursing patient assessment and evaluation, including patient interviews and physical examinations.
Intermediate-level capability in nursing patient education.

Responsibilities

Coordinate the evaluation of potential transplant candidates and/or living donors 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 following 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 coordination of care and discharge for recipients and living donors hospitalized for transplantation, living donation, or post-operative complications.
Provide outpatient clinical management in collaboration with the transplant team.
Perform additional duties as assigned.