(RN) Registered Nurse - Pre-Transplant Coordinator - 140792

UC San Diego Health; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 91,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego Health is seeking a CLIN NURSE 2 for the Heart Transplant department. The role supports pre-heart transplant coordination, education, and care coordination across multiple sites including La Jolla, Hillcrest, and East Campus, with travel as needed.

Responsibilities include coordinating evaluations, waitlist management, and serving as a liaison among patients, families, and the multidisciplinary team. An RN license in California and BART/BLS at hire are required.

Qualifications

• Must be a graduate from an accredited school of Nursing.
• Registered Nurse (RN) issued by the state of California.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate patient care for the heart transplant across all campuses throughout the transplant continuum.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to facilitate outside hospital transfer process upon referral acceptance.
• Provide clinical oversight and escalation of patient changes or care gaps to transplant stakeholders.
• Navigate Phoenix and Epic to access and document patient charts accordingly.

Skills

Nursing

Care coordination

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Documentation

Education

RN license (California)

Job description

Payroll Title

CLIN NURSE 2

Department

HEART TRANSPLANT

Hiring Pay Scale

$66.25 - $92.86 / Hour

Worksite

Other

Appointment Type

Career

Appointment Percent

100%

Union

NX Contract

Total Openings

1

Work Schedule

Days, 8-Hour Shifts, Monday-Friday

#140792 (RN) Registered Nurse - Pre-Transplant Coordinator

Filing Deadline

Fri 8/7/2026

Description

UC San Diego Health is proud to be a four-time Magnet-designated organization and has now earned Magnet with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Magnet is the gold standard for nursing excellence, achieved by only about 10% of hospitals worldwide. Magnet with Distinction is awarded to the highest-performing Magnet organizations, with only a select few earning this prestigious honor. This recognition reflects our commitment to transformational leadership, professional nursing excellence, innovation, exceptional patient outcomes, and an empowering practice environment where nurses thrive.

Pre-Heart transplant coordinator (multi-site). Coordinates the evaluation and preparation of patients for heart transplantation, and manages waitlisted patients, serving as a key liaison between patients, families, and the multidisciplinary team. Provides education on the transplant process, obtains informed consent, and ensures completion of all pre-transplant requirements. Travels across multiple hospital sites (La Jolla, Hillcrest and East Campus) to provide patient education, coordination of care, and continuity across settings.

Clinical Management and Care Coordination

• Coordinate patient care for the heart transplant across all campuses throughout the transplant continuum, including referral, evaluation, selection, and waitlist.
• Collaborate with appropriate stakeholders to facilitate outside hospital transfer process upon referral acceptance.
• Provide clinical oversight and appropriate escalation of patient changes or care gaps to the transplant stakeholders.
• Anticipate and facilitate timely diagnostic testing and imaging, consultations, and treatment plans.
• Effective communication and collaborate with multidisciplinary health team, and other stakeholders.
• Serve as a liaison between patients, families and the transplant multidisciplinary team.
• Participate in multidisciplinary rounds and case conferences.
• Navigate Phoenix and Epic to access, review, update, and document patient charts accordingly.

Patient and Family Education

• Provide comprehensive, individualized education to patients and families regarding the transplant process, procedures follow-up requirements, and necessary lifestyle modifications in a timely manner.
• Serve as a resource and liaison for patients and families throughout the transplant process.

Regulatory and Quality Compliance

• Ensure regulatory and quality compliance with UNOS, CMS, and Joint Commission standards and requirement.
• Complete time-sensitive, required transplant forms and tasks in a timely manner.
• Assist with quality and regulatory assurance initiatives, including but not limited to chart reviews and audits.

The position will be required to travel to Hillcrest and East Campus due to program expansion.

While not required, a cover letter is highly recommended when applying to this position.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be a graduate from an accredited school of Nursing.
• Registered Nurse (RN) issued by the state of California.
• BART or BLS at time of hire with commitment to get BART w/in 6 months of hire date.
• Minimum of one year experience as a pre-transplant coordinator with direct care of pre-transplant patients as a primary responsibility required. Experience in roles where pre-transplant patient care is a secondary function will not be considered.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary care across inpatient and outpatient settings, including but not limiting transfer in, new referrals for transplant evaluation.
• Demonstrated understanding of transplant phases and its processes, including a basic understanding of UNOS/OPTN guidelines, CMS transplant regulations, and compliance standards.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills to manage multiple levels of information and responsibilities, and to quickly assess moderate to complex problems to develop appropriate solutions.
• Ability to provide effective, thorough, individualized patient evaluation education and discharge teaching to patients and their families.
• Demonstrates critical thinking and clinical skills to identify and implement nursing interventions, evaluate results, and appropriate escalation.
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills to effectively communicate and influence all levels of multidisciplinary team members, physicians, patients and external stakeholders, both verbally and in writing while promoting kindness, professionalism, teamwork, and high-quality patient care.Strong prioritization skills to meet urgent program and patient needs.
• Demonstrates the ability to adapt to fast-paced environment, frequent workflow changes, managing stress, and maintaining professionalism.
• Maintains a positive, solution-oriented approach to challenges, encourages teamwork and open communication, and remains receptive to feedback to support individuals and program growth.
• Ability to at all times adhere to UCSD Health Medical Center (C.A.R.I.N.G.) Standards of Performance, and demonstrate the characteristics of professionalism in attire, attitude, conversation, behavior and attentiveness to others.

Preferred Qualifications

• BSN.
• Previous transplant or organ procurement experience.
• Epic (inpatient and outpatient) and Phoenix experience.
• Previous experience providing comprehensive transplant patient education and care coordination.
• Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator (CCTC).
• Organ Procurement Coordinator (CPTC) certification (for OPO roles).

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
• Selected candidate may be hired at the CNIII level pending review and approval by the Nurse Executive Council.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $138,330 - $193,892 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $66.25 - $92.86

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands-on practice and in-person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable.

UC San Diego Health is the only academic health system in the San Diego region, providing leading-edge care in patient care, biomedical research, education, and community service. Our facilities include two university hospitals, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, the only Burn Center in the county, and dozens of outpatient clinics. We invite you to join our team!

Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached.

To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.

UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace