In honor of Transplant Nurses Day—April 19—we decided to ask a transplant nurse what it’s like to work in this part of the nursing field. Austin Timmons, BSN, RN, CNOR, an Operating Room Registered Nurse at Largo Medical Center in Largo, Florida. Took times to answers some questions for us. What follows is an edited version of our interview.

As a transplant nurse, what does your job entail? What do you do on a daily basis?

A transplant nurse’s job entails many criteria including patient education, clinical care, and patient safety as well as a wide array of interdisciplinary coordination within the hospital. Transplant nurses work closely with transplant physicians, pharmacists, the lab, anesthesia, Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs), perfusionists, surgical scrub technicians, and other specialists to coordinate the best care possible for our patients.

As an Operating Room nurse specifically, I focus–along with other members of the OR team–on providing the most current standards of care to our patients in a safe and respectful manner. We handle setting up supplies for a transplant procedure, providing education for our patients, keeping the patients safe under anesthesia, handling donor organs, and eventually taking our patients safely to a recovery unit to begin their journey with their new organ.

Why did you choose this field of nursing?

I personally chose this field of nursing to help expand the transplant services within our community and to assist in offering the best care possible for the patients that we receive. We all work closely together and have our own roles to make the procedure come together as a whole. We have a growing presence in our community, and, as a healthcare team, we are proud to be a part of the transplant program.

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What are the biggest challenges of your job?

One of the biggest challenges of my job includes seeing the patient immediately before surgery. This is always an emotional time for them, and as nurses, we are able to comfort and sympathize with them at the bedside before the procedure begins. We are constantly in close contact with family members during the procedure to keep them involved and are available for their support as well.

What are the greatest rewards?

On the other side of the coin, the greatest reward as a transplant nurse in the operating room is seeing the patients after the procedure is complete–witnessing their joy and appreciation for this gift of life. For example, after one of our kidney transplant recipients had been brought to the Intensive Care Unit and woke up, the patient began to cry out of joy when they saw they were making their own urine for the first time in over a year. Knowing that our team has played an integral part in such a big milestone for their health is a great feeling.

What would you say to someone considering this type of nursing work?

To someone considering this type of work I would say, “Go for it!” It is a rewarding experience and allows you to work with many different departments and specialties, all of which have one common goal in mind. I believe compassion, attention to detail, organization, highly developed communication skills, and transplant-specific education are needed for this type of nursing work.

Is there anything I haven’t asked you about being a transplant nurse that is important for people to know?

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One other thing that I would add is the involvement with our local population. The Transplant Institute of Florida at Largo Medical Center works with Life Link and other organizations to support community-centered events and education regarding donation and transplantation. These events help to strengthen our presence and help reach out to people in need.

Michele Wojciechowski
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