Heart Transplant and VAD Coordinator

Cleveland Clinic; Fort Lauderdale (FL); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital is seeking a Heart Transplant and VAD Coordinator to plan, coordinate and manage the care of advanced heart failure patients across inpatient and outpatient settings. You will educate patients, train staff, schedule transplants and testing, and maintain precise records as a vital link among patients, families and the care team.

The role requires a BSN with RN licensure and BLS, plus experience in transplant or ICU settings is preferred.

Qualifications

• BSN required.
• RN license (RN/CNP/PA) required or eligible.
• BLS certification required.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate and manage care for heart transplant and VAD patients in inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Provide patient education and staff training.
• Schedule surgeries and coordinate clinics and testing.
• Maintain meticulous medical records and ensure continuity of care.
• Collaborate with transplant physicians and referring physicians for candidacy and follow-up.
• Coordinate discharge planning and community reinforcement of care.

Skills

Transplant coordination

VAD knowledge

Care planning

Nursing

RN license

Education

BSN

RN licensure

BLS certification

Job description

Join Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital’s team of caregivers that remain on the leading edge of technology and education, all while consistently providing patient-centered healthcare. As part of Cleveland Clinic’s Florida region, Weston Hospital is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale and Florida regions. Here, you will receive endless support and appreciation while building a rewarding career with one of the most respected healthcare organizations in the world.

As a Heart Transplant and VAD Coordinator, you will plan, coordinate and manage the care of advanced heart failure patients, including heart transplant and pre- and post-VAD patients, across both inpatient and outpatient settings. In this role, you will play a crucial part in ensuring safe, seamless and high-quality care by providing patient education, staff training, surgical scheduling and coordination, clinic visits and meticulous recordkeeping. You will serve as a vital link between patients and families overseeing and implementing the daily care of heart transplants and VAD patients throughout their treatment journey.

A caregiver in this role works days + on-call shifts from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This position may include occasional remote work and virtual patient visits.

A caregiver who excels in this role will:

• Plan, coordinate and implement the care of the heart transplant patient and the pre- and post-VAD patient, in both the inpatient and outpatient setting.
• Assess patients in outpatient clinic.
• Follow up prescription refills and fill orders.
• Facilitate plan of care and symptom management with outpatient staff.
• Review medical information from referring physicians and initiate appropriate communication.
• Coordinate with patient's transplant physician and referring physician for evaluation of patient for transplant candidacy.
• Facilitate tissue typing of recipient and donor and arrange the timing and collection of pretesting prior to transplant with referring physician and transplant team.
• Assemble test results of evaluation and arrange further testing.
• Plan, conduct and evaluate educational activities regarding transplant or ventricular assistance devices for potential recipients, families and professionals.
• Triage patients during the entire transplant process for any medical and psychosocial issues.
• Coordinate information flow among medical, ancillary, nursing, financial and insurance offices.
• Collaborate with physicians to provide direct care to patients and plans and evaluate the delivery of care.
• Manage the health care of patients with VADs.
• Assist in obtaining medications and supplies according to the patient's insurance coverage.
• Manage equipment, supplies and charges in conjunction with hospital liaisons.
• Assist in reinforcement of discharge information and train community for patient discharge.
• Contact referring physician and arrange follow-up in the local area or at CCF.
• Support requirements for continued VAD Certification by Joint Commission.
• Participate in research and facilitate procedures.
• Provide in-service for nursing staff and presentations for any outside organization or group inquiring about the transplant or VAD process.
• Support the VAD Process Improvement Committee preparations.

Minimum qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include:

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing (BSN)
• State licensure as Registered Nurse (RN), certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) or Physician Assistant (PAC)
• Basic Life Support (BLS) through American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross

Preferred qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include:

• One year of transplant experience
• Transplant experience or GI experience
• ICU experience
• Endoscopy background

Physical Requirements:

• Requires full range of body motion, manual finger dexterity , hand and eye coordination.
• Requires working under stressful conditions and working irregular hours.
• Must be willing to be on call 24 hours per day on a rotating basis.

Personal Protective Equipment:

• Follows Standard Precautions using personal protective equipment as required for procedures.

Pay Range

Salaries [which may be] shown on independent job search websites reflect various market averages and do not represent information obtained directly from The Cleveland Clinic. Because we value each individual candidate, we invite and encourage each candidate to discuss salary/hourly specifics during the application and hiring process.