“It's very rewarding to help patients get through some of the toughest times of their lives”
"I have been a Pre-Heart Transplant Coordinator with the Penn Transplant Institute 2019. It's my dream job. Before this I was an Emergency Room nurse and often took care of cardiac patients — that is where my love for cardiac nursing began. Later in my career, working in the cardiac catheterization lab, I often cared for patients who came in for their routine biopsies post-transplant. Their stories, their will to live, and their appreciation to their donors really moved me. It's how I knew I needed to work with transplant patients.
I'm the first point of contact for patients who come to Penn for heart transplant evaluation. When I talk to new patients for the first time, they're often scared and anxious — I am honored to be one of the first people who provide their care.
It's very rewarding to help patients get through some of the toughest times of their lives. Their transplant workup is extensive; there are numerous tests and a lot to learn and schedule. Their medical care requires tremendous coordination with many providers — surgeons, cardiologists, social workers, nutritionists, financial coordinators, and others. Someone needs to help them through it, and I really enjoy playing that role. I'm like an event planner for one of the most important events of their life! As my title suggests, I spend most of my days coordinating for my patients. There's a lot of time spent giving results, prepping patients for upcoming tests, talking with physicians, checking on waitlist patients, and coordinating schedules.
Transplant is a lifelong commitment, and a patient must be aware of the challenges they may face. It's my job to remind them to remain resilient throughout the wait for transplant and help them mentally prepare for life post-surgery. Also, our patients range in age from 18-65 with quite a few in their 20s and 30s — our younger patients seem to really appreciate the opportunity to connect with someone closer to their own age.
When our patients are approved for transplant, I get to call them with the good news. They're usually excited and thankful, but there is some anxiety and fear mixed in, as well. Our team sees the emotional roller coaster our patients are on, and we're here to help them cope with it every step of the way.
While I don't care for my patients after transplant, I often run into them in the clinic. Many go out of their way to tell me how thankful they are. I enjoy knowing that I've affected someone's life this way. I can't believe I have this opportunity every day. I will be forever grateful for the truly amazing patients, families, and co-workers I've met. It's such an honor to play a role in helping people get their lives back."