Transplant nurses are basically nurse assistants during a surgical procedure. They have a HUGE role to play. Transplant Nurses assist in procedures in which an infected organ is to be replaced with a donated healthy organ of the same kind. A few examples of organs that are frequently transplanted include the liver, kidney, pancreas, small bowel, heart, and lungs. Crazy right?
What to expect: As a Transplant nurse, you can assist the medical team during surgery and work in post-operative care, monitoring patients for complications like organ rejection.
This means staying up for more than 24 hours, day through night just to get the job done.
Things you"ll do:
.You have to take medical histories
.Order lab tests to confirm an organ match
.Clear patients and donors for surgery
.Monitor patients' vital signs after surgery
How to become a Transplant Nurse:
Safe and successful organ transplants require a very skilled team of professionals. One of the most important professionals on an organ transplant team is a transplant nurse. Transplant nursing is a very challenging and specialized field, and it’s important to start with the proper education. Most transplant nurses hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degrees in nursing. Many employers, however, may require transplant nurses to hold master’s degrees or PhD's. During your schooling, you should concentrate your studies on medical-surgical and transplant nursing. Courses in critical care and intensive care are also strongly recommended.
The American Board for Transplant Certification offers a Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse (CCTN) examination. To be eligible to take the exam, you must be a registered nurse with at least two years of clinical experience. You must also have at least a year of experience dealing directly with transplant patients.
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Salary:
- $62,000
- Average Salaries Across The Country
