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St. Louis Second Wind
Lung Transplant Association
Newsletter |
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Volume 12 Issue 7 August 2011 |
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A Day in the Lifeof a Lung Transplant Coordinator By Carol Miller, RN, CCTC
There really is no typical day for a lung transplant coordinator. One thing for sure, you must be flexible and able to prioritize quickly. Most transplant coordinator positions require a registered nurse with ICU experience. Having some previous organ transplant experience is helpful. Each solid organ trans-lant program has specific requirements. Being a lung transplant coordinator is unlike any other nursing job; you are trained on the job. In the program where I work we are also required to be certified. After working at least one year in the position, we study and sit for the Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator (CCTC) exam. Once certified, we maintain the certification by attending and earning continuing education credits.
Our office is divided into pre-and post transplant nurses. In our office we have two post-transplant nurses that rotate as in-patient coordinators. The in-patient coordinator makes hospital rounds with the physicians, assists in caring for the patient and helps prepare the patient for discharge from the hospital. The pre-transplant nurses interview and help evaluate, educate, monitor and prepare patients waiting for lung transplant. Once the patient is transplanted, they are assigned to a post-transplant nurse. The post transplant nurses educate, monitor, and follow the patient the rest of their lives. They also have meetings with other solid organ coordinators for education or updates from management.
Another responsibility each coordinator in our office has is being on-call. After hours, weekends and holidays there is a lung transplant coordinator on-call. We receive the emergency calls from patients and the lung donor offers. The transplant surgeon determines if the organ is appropriate for one of our waiting patients and it is accepted. Once the organ is accepted, we coordinate the transplant. We notify the waiting patient, call in the retrieval surgeons, and coordinate the other services needed for the transplant to occur. We set up the timing so the donor organs arrive to the operating room just as the patient is prepared to receive the transplant. This requires constant adjustment of timing, frequent communications with all parties, patience and the ability to be calm under pressure.
I have the unique position of being one of the post-transplant coordinators who shares the in-patient role with another post-transplant coordinator. We share a panel of post-transplant patients. So when I am in-patient, my co-worker is caring for our patients in the office and vice versa.
In-patient rounds normally start at 7 AM in the Cardio-Thoracic ICU with the newly transplanted patients. From there we see all the other hospitalized patients that are on the Lung Transplant Service. The in-patient physician is responsible for the bronchoscopies (in-patient and out-patient). When the physicians are performing the bronchoscopies, I am working on prepping patients for discharge, coordinating services, making appointments, completing paperwork or tracking down information. The in-patient coordinator works to help make hospital rounds go as efficiently as possible. The rounds take as long as it takes to see all the patients on the service. Most days this is longer than 8 hours.
Caring for the post-transplant patients in the out-patient office starts at 8AM when the office opens. This involves reviewing labs, records, reports, and test results. We have a protocol (set by our medical director, Dr. Trulock) to follow to adjust immuno-suppression medication based on lab results. We review information from labs records, reports or tests with physicians and receive orders to carry out for patients. We are available to patients during office hours for calls and questions of any kind. Often we may think we have our day planned, but it gets changed due to an urgent need of one of our patients. That ranges from getting the patient admitted to the hospital to arrange intravenous antibiotics, talking to other physician offices, lots of teaching over the phone, checking on our patients and providing support to the patients and caregivers.
Our jobs also involve attending the 2-3 post-transplant clinics we have each week, teaching the post-transplant education classes in weekly rotation with the other post-transplant coordinators and teaching the newly transplanted patients before they are discharged from the hospital. Each post-transplant coordinator follows about 150 patients. You can see we are very busy with the caseload and on the phone a lot. Most days are longer than 8 hours also.
We are a dedicated group of nurses. I love caring for the patients. Each day there is something we learn or challenge to deal with. I happen to think I work with the best nurses and physicians too!
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We Rememeber
Ashlee Poland
Ashlee Nicole Poland, of Tulsa, passed away Sunday, August 7th, at the young age of 24. Born with cystic fibrosis, Ashlee is now free of the tremendous pain, suffering, and daily life challenges associated with this disease that claims lives at such a young age. Ashlee, as do most CF young people, developed a strong will to live and filled her shortened life with an extra abundance of life experiences. Ashlee was a member of one of the first graduating classes of Thoreau Demonstration Academy, graduated from Memorial High School, and was attending Tulsa Community College with plans to attend OSU-Tulsa in the future. In spite of the extra effort required, she always strived to excel in her efforts. She was a member of the State and National award-winning pom dance squad at Memorial. She also received numerous academic achievements including several Honor Roll awards at TCC. In 2007 Ashlee's life was lengthened and enriched as the recipient of a double lung transplant from her hero angel Tammy, after nearly a year of waiting for a donor match. Ashlee became an active supporter of the organ donor program after seeing many new found friends benefit as recipients. Ashlee is survived by her father Jeffery Erik Poland and brothers Jeffery Cody and Zachary Jay of the Mannford area and her mother, Jeana Roy (Anglin) Poland of Tulsa. Surviving paternal grandparents are Harold and Liv Poland of Tulsa whom Ashlee lived with and who were her loving caregivers for 15 years; Aunt and Uncle Kari and Gerry Phillips, Cousins Erik J. Maloney and Brandon A. Gorman, all of Tulsa and the two greatest loves of her life, Logan Erik and Alexis Nicole Maloney. Surviving maternal grandparents are Jay and Faye Anglin of Cleveland, Roma Lee and James Branham of Havana, Kansas, Uncle Matthew Branham of San Diego, California, and a host of supporting friends in the CF community in many states. Memorial services to celebrate the life of Ashlee are scheduled for Saturday, August 13th at 10 am at the Kirk of The Hills Presbyterian Church in Tulsa. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations are made in remembrance of Ashlee to CF Solutions, a Tulsa non-profit service supporting clinical and pharmaceutical needs of CF families. Donations may be left at or mailed to the church at 4102 East 61st St, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74136.
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Transplant Anniversaries
for September 2011
By Jan Kwasigroh
Summer 2011 is almost behind us and hopefully so is the intense heat that has accompanied those months. These anniversaries are just a tad early each month so one can plan ahead for "congratulations" or "thinking of you" greetings for those friends on the list. It is my wish that each feel the blessing and treasure every day.
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Matt Alber In Concert
Saturday, September 10
Tickets available on line:
www.secondwindstl.org
$40: Advanced purchase reserved seating includes admission to the private reception with Matt following the concert.
$25 General Admission
Doors open at 7:00 for ticket pick-up.
7:00 P.M.: Classical guitar performance by Benjamin Minden-Birkenmaier.
8:00 P.M. Concert begins.
SIUE Quartet: Featured Guest Performers
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8th Annual Lung Walk -
Every Breath Counts
October 15, 2011
Forest Park Visitor's Center
- 8:00 am Registration Begins
- 8:30 Memorial Service
- 9:00 Start Time
- 5K Race and Walk, One Mile Fun Walk
- On-line Registration www.secondwindstl.org
- More info call: Tom Archer at 314.664.6360
Start organizing your team now! Team resources available on our Web site www.secondwindstl.org.
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A Tisket A Tasket
Oh My Gosh!
I need things for my Basket!!
By Bethany Sprague
Hey everyone! It is time to think about how you, your friends and family may be able to help Second Wind earn funds through our Raffle at the Second Wind Lung Walk/Run, October 15th.
The Raffle will have baskets with items in them that carry a theme. Basket items should not be more than $50 total. Baskets can be made with "like new" items that you already have too! Also, if you know someone that has a business, store, or organization that would be willing to donate a "big" ticket item, go for it!! Please no gift certificates or perishables. Below are some ideas:
Baking Basket (measuring spoons and cups, whisk, baking powders or spices.
Picnic Out Basket (2 wine glasses, wine, cheese board, napkins, food containers, disposable silverware and plates)
Hiking Basket (water bottles, sunscreen, hat, books of hikes around St. Louis)
Tour of St. Louis Basket (nice get around St. Louis Book, St. Louis T-shirts, Book of St. Louis Restaurants or of the Hill or whatever)
Take Time Out Basket (nicer soap, loofa, back brush, bubble bath, candle, and.....)
Foot Holiday Basket (exfoliating and moisturizer lotions, foot scrubber, cute socks, and....)
Paper Basket (stationary, memo pads, index cards, pens, pencils)
Pet Care Basket (pet brush, treats, toys)
You can be really creative!! The list could be endless. If you or one of your friends or family members is going to do a basket, please call me at 314-608-3717 (day) or 314-436-7588 (evenings) so I know what is going to be coming in and we can arrange a pick up or drop off. If someone cannot do a basket, they can donate money to Second Wind and we will do a basket for them. My mailing address is Bethany Sprague Fine, 1136 Washington Ave., Unit 806, St. Louis, MO 63101
I am also doing a "shout out" for volunteers to be walkers selling raffle tickets amongst the crowd. If you would like to do this, please call me.
Thank You!
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Treasurer's Report
By Peter Nicastro
During July, Second Wind received $250.71. Because of your generosity, Second Wind provided $2,059.32 in assistance during May to six recipients. Payments were for gas, rent, and utilities. We had other expenses of $322.70.
Memorials
Kenneth & Julia Welton in memory of Valerie Gregory
Honoraria
Walter & Marcia Wright in honor Gary & Carrie Gobble |
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