Job Description
HEART TRANSPLANT NURSE COORDINATOR- PRE HEART TRANSPLANT PROGRAM
FULL-TIME, DAY SHIFT
The HEART TRANSPLANT COORDINATOR reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Memorial, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
The Heart Transplant Coordinator will coordinate patient care, in conjunction with the surgical and medical heart failure team, for patients with advanced heart failure most likely seeking transplants procedures. This includes: Processing new patient referrals, education, and evaluation of those patients interested in transplantation or the VAD procedure. Updating the potential recipient's medical record throughout the waiting phase prior to transplant. Providing comprehensive assessment, planning and evaluation for the transplant patient. Functioning in the role of consultant, educator, practitioner, resource person and research for the transplant program. Assuring that the documentation of care and the patient's follow-up information is available in the medical record. Managing the patient's care is coordinated with the physicians and is done in collaboration with social work, dietary, managed care and insurance verification. The Coordinator is responsible for managing the Medicare certification process for heart transplant and assisting with the Medicare certification process for VAD destination therapy.
OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED INCLUDE:
Share 24/7 On-Call responsibilities in order to assure RN Coordinator coverage after hours and on weekends for transplant service.
Professional Development:
a. Assume responsibility for own continuing education.
b. Contribute to nursing and hospital committees as transplant designate by attending and actively participating on committees or meetings organizations.
c. The Coordinator Heart Transplant provides care to the adolescent, adult and elderly patient.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
INTAKE
- Acts as integral member of the multidisciplinary heart failure team.
- Responsible for the intake of patient referrals for evaluation of candidacy for transplant.
- Attends weekly team meeting for purposes of patient medical review and appropriateness of candidacy.
- Interacts with financial coordinator to secure insurance benefits for transplantation.
- Acts to coordinate transplant services for patients referred to NMH.
- Arrange and assist in the conduction of pre-transplant patient meetings for interested parties.
- Create and send letters to referring physician and patient after attendance at transplant meeting.
- Order and conduct recipient/living donor medical evaluations according to program protocol.
- Maintain and update pre-transplant medical files with input from physicians on team.
- Schedule annual interval evaluation for patients on the transplant wait list.
- Maintain both local and national list of potential transplant candidates. Assures appropriate documentation of all listed patients is available to all staff.
- Perform on call responsibilities for those patients awaiting transplant. Communicates patient admission and history to appropriate team members.
- Update and inform referring physician of their patients wait status on a regular basis.
- Collaborate with team members to update protocols and policies as needed.
- Participate in quality assurance projects as assigned.
- Work in collaboration with the Blood Bank to assure blood type compatibility per policy.
- Coordinates and develops educational programs and tools for patients and other health care personnel.
- Participate in case management conferences at NMH.
- Develop written educational materials for patients
- Assist with marketing efforts for the continued growth of the program.
- Participate in educational seminars at referring clinics/hospitals targeting nurses and social workers to increase referrals to transplant program.
- Participates in research.
- Assist as indicated in clinical trials.
- Identify appropriate candidates for enrollment in clinical research.
- Ensure compliance with research protocols through obtaining consent, blood work orders and results, recognizing adverse side effects and documentation on flow sheet and medical records.
- Acts as liaison for Division of CT Surgery
- Communicate, as needed, with referring physicians regarding status of transplant candidates.
- Develop correspondence with insurance companies in regards to insurance coverage for transplant candidates and passing needed information on to financial coordinator as requested.
- Represent Northwestern Memorial Hospital at conferences and transplant related events as approved.
- Acts as mentor to new staff.
INPATIENT
Clinical Practice:
- Assess all inpatients on service.
- Document on flow sheet daily labs, medication, daily assessment of plan of care and discharge planning. Medical records as indicated.
- Provide documentation and other information as needed for insurance, disability, and return to work.
- Assist in discharge planning with case management (D/C planning and SW) Staff RN; includes patient/family tracking, home health, discharge meds and RTO appointments.
- Provide formal and informal teaching to nurses, PAs, house staff and other staff on an ongoing basis.
- Serve as a resource to patients, families and staff.
- Assist staff to facilitate patient care as needed.
- Participate in new staff orientation.
OUTPATIENT
- Meet with patients in the clinic
- Assure that the necessary tests are ordered. Plan and evaluate patient care in consultation with and under the direction of the physicians and Advanced Practice Nurse.
- Deliver direct patient care as necessary
- Counsel and teaches patients and significant others on any aspect of their care as needed.
- Coordinate with clerical staff to maintain the medical record for each patient to include long-term follow-up information.
- Communicate with clerical staff to maintain the medical record for each patient to include long-term follow-up information.
- Receive phone calls from patients, case managers, and physicians. Follows up to answer questions and manager care in collaboration with the transplant physicians as appropriate. Continues assessment, interventions, planning and evaluation via telephone and other communication methods such as fax.
- Receive and review all follow-up patient data submitted by mail, phone and fax. Assures that the date is placed in the medical record.
- Collaborate with the insurance and managed care coordinators to assure that managed care/insurance agreements are followed.
- Communicate by phone and in writing with referring and consulting physicians and other healthcare professionals to assure continuity of care.