“I am privileged to be part of their journey to recovery during their most vulnerable moments. Providing that kind of support to my patients is the most rewarding part of my job.”
"I spend most of my day working in the unit with post-transplant liver, kidney and pancreas patients. I started working with the Penn Transplant Institute in 2007 immediately after receiving my Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) degree from Penn. A lot has changed in those 15 years.
When I started, nurse practitioners and physician assistants primarily provided support for the residents, fellows, and physicians. Over the years we've gained more autonomy, our roles becoming more self-directed as an essential piece of patient care. In my role as a transplant APP, I follow patient recovery directly, order medications and diagnostic tests, deal with complications, consult with physicians, and help patients transition to rehab or home after surgery. I know my patient population very well which helps me deliver exceptional patient care.
Because I spend a lot of time with my patients, I'm able to establish a trusted relationship. Patients feel comfortable opening up to me about their problems. I am privileged to be part of their journey to recovery during their most vulnerable moments. Providing that kind of support to my patients is the most rewarding part of my job.
Like the field of nursing, the field of transplantation is also constantly evolving. From a professional standpoint, I love that. Solving problems and learning new things every day to provide better care is exciting and rewarding. Everyone working withing our transplant program are also extremely dedicated to quality of patient care. It's incredible to work with a team whose values align with my own. Everyone is so devoted to our transplant patients, it's inspiring.
My favorite part of the year has always been the annual holiday party for transplant patients. They're all invited, a reunion of our patients and staff. I love seeing my patients return, looking so healthy and sharing their stories of living normal, healthier lives. I have so many wonderful patient stories. There was one young patient who had a complicated case and spent over 4 months in the hospital before being discharged. A few years later after finishing college, he returned to visit. I was blown away to see him again and hear that he was living the life we all worked so hard to give him back. He never gave up, neither did we. It was so very gratifying."