bit about their loved one. In many cases quilt squares were made by the recipient in appreciation for their gift of life. The squares are all being sewn together and the quilts will be on display at all games in the future to honor the donors. “It was an experience I will never ever forget and always treasure,” says Michael Burns, heart transplant recipient and first-time participant. Burns, who was transplanted at Houston Methodist Hospital in 2012, wasn’t sure what to expect.
“It was a very emotional ride and a humbling experience. I wept as donor families marched in during the opening ceremonies. I don’t know if my donor’s family was present, but because of them, I have a new heart and a renewed life with my family. God bless all those donors and donor families now and in the future for the gift of life,” he says. For more information on how to become involved with Team Texas and participate in the 2016 games in Cleveland, visit teamtexastransplant.com. To register to be a donor, visit donatelifetexas.org.
HMH nurses participate in yearlong program to become transplant coordinators
By Larry Johnson, RN, CCTC Nurse Education Specialist, Transplant Administration
Health care institutions historically have faced the challenges associated with comprehensive training and retention of qualified nurses. Expert training combined with dedication and compassion form the foundation for the type of gold-standard quality of patient care to which our institution subscribes. Houston Methodist Hospital’s transplant program is unique in its comprehensive range of transplant services. Care is provided throughout the continuum of transplantation, and therefore provides unique learning opportunities for nurses with interests in the solid-organ transplant process. Registered nurses Nisha Abraham, Christina Havlicek and Christina Mendoza participated in a one-year transition program, which they completed July 18, and are now assigned to transplant coordinator roles. During the course of their studies, these transition nurses had exposure to and interaction with experts in the fields of solid-organ transplant management, transplant surgery, transplant pharmacy and transplant infectious disease for the purpose of expanding their knowledge base in a clinically relevant manner. They concluded the program with the presentation of their research project, “BMI Clinic: Is Getting Patients to Transplant Enough?” The program was initiated in August 2013 as a hands-on interactive experience to include core nursing skills and designed to educate registered nurses regarding all aspects of solidorgan transplant care. The teaching curriculum was designed to focus on patient assessment, critical thinking in terms of positive clinical outcomes, coordination of interprofessional teams and resources, and safety in the transplant clinical environment. Clinical activities involved orientation to transplant patient care in surgical and medical intensive care units and on transplant floors, participation in transplant rounds and multiple outpatient clinics addressing thoracic and abdominal solid-organ transplantation. They also worked with patients on ventricular assist devices, observed the evaluation of the posttransplant surveillance procedures, and witnessed actual solid-organ transplant surgeries. Havlicek also has been selected to present her poster presentation, “Von HippelLindau Disease: An Overview and Case Study,” at the 2014 North American Transplant Coordinators Organization annual meeting in San Antonio. Houston Methodist Hospital proudly welcomes these young women as part of its outstanding team of professionals within the Center of Excellence.
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