How Our Membership Celebrated Transplant Nurses Day 2011

Greetings from sunny Phoenix in Region 5!  This year on the 3 West Intermediate/Transplant Unit at Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona, Transplant Nurses Day was celebrated with unit decoration, a potluck meal, green accessories for our white uniforms (our color symbol for Transplant) and our annual creation of a human "Donate Life" sign.  In addition, each staff member received a terrific "Recycle Your Organs" tote bag designed by our management.  Two drawings for cafeteria vouchers were held for those who wore their green. Celebrating the day publically called attention to the special nature of Transplant Nursing and promoted
comradery among all levels of care providers.  Transplant Nurses Day was an opportunity for all of us to celebrate our decision to become transplant nurses!
Submitted by Yvonne Novak Matz, RN

Greetings from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. International Transplant Nurse Day was celebrated throughout the month of April at BIDMC in Boston! The festivities kicked off with a day long nursing targeted transplant conference in collaboration with New England Organ Bank and Donate Life Month.

Other celebratory events included appreciation socials, Transplant Pictionary and a few fun, educational and competitive rounds of Transplant Jeopardy! Included in the attached photo are representatives from Farr 10, our in-patient peri-solid organ transplant unit for liver, kidney and pancreas. Top row from left to right: Leslie Almeida, RN, Kristin Nason, RN, Kimberly Slaydon, RN, Amy Newberg, RN, Erica Gemellaro, RN & Unit Based Educator, Lois Bartels, NP, Gredel Sullivan, RN. Bottom row from left to right: John Bogrette, RN, Norma Wells, RN & Nurse Manager.

Greetings Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Western Australia.  View their TX Nurses Day Newsletter (PDF)

How Our Membership Celebrated Transplant Nurses Day 2010

Winsome Witter from Miami Florida reports - The nurses on the Pediatric Transplant Surgical Unit (PTSU) at Jackson Memorial Hospital/Holtz Children's Hospital in Miami, Florida celebrated Transplant Nurses day on April 21, 2010.  We all took a moment to celebrate each other and what we do by enjoying some sweets provided by fellow staff and the transplant doctors. PTSU cares for  pre-evaluation and post op pediatric patients for multi-visceral, liver, and small intestines transplant.

In the photo above are (L-R) Dr Beverly Campos-King, Nurse Manager Dianne Bennett MSN, EMBA-HA, ARNP, Naiba Mercado nursing student, Olga Rios Patient Care Tech, Garlie Joseph RN BSN, Deanna Mosley RN CCTN, and Winsome Witter RN BSN

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Karen Howden, Staff Development Nurses reports that Nurses and staff on ward G63 (Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia) celebrated International Transplant Nurses Day with much enthusiasm on 21st April.  Our Transplant Nurses Day celebrations begun early in the morning, with G63 nurses dressing up in Donatelife t-shirts and hats (kindly provided by Donatelife with our newly acquired purple ITNS Transplant Nurse lanyards completing the attire. 

Opting for a rainbow theme, the ward was dressed up in streamers of bright colours, creating a wonderfully happy atmosphere for nurses, other staff and patients.  The day ended with an afternoon tea of rainbow-themed foods, along with a fun quiz session, with prizes awarded for correct (and creative!) answers.  As well as having great fun on the day, the day provided nurses with the opportunity to spread the word about the importance of organ donation and discussing the choice to donate, with staff and patients.  We had such fun on the day, it is definite we will be celebrating this occasion in the years to come. 

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How Our Membership Celebrated Transplant Nurses Day 2009

Below are some of the celebrations stories, as told by ITNS members....

The Seattle Chapter of ITNS celebrated Transplant Nurses Day by sending all 4 of the Seattle Transplant centers carrot cakes. Each transplant center was sent posters, balloons, pedicure kits, and tee shirts to celebrate the special day. Transplant Physicians and Surgeons helped serve cake at some of the transplant centers. Other transplant centers had Managers serve cake. One of the transplant centers raffled off coffee gift cards in an effort to promote transplant nursing. The carrots cakes were delicious and enjoyed by all!

Baylor University Medical Center, 14R Transplant Unit celebrated Transplant Nurses Day by providing a luncheon for all staff members.  Staff also participated in “Transplant Trivia” answering questions about transplantation facts in the U.S. along with trivia questions about Baylor Regional Transplant Institute’s Program which celebrated its 25th Anniversary this year.  Prizes awarded for correct answers were the free gifts generously provided by ITNS.  Our Transplant Nurse of the Year was also announced in recognition of her excellence in transplant nursing.   
Submitted by Heidi Herbert, RN BSN CMSRN CCTN 14R Educator

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Rhoads 4.  On April 15, 2009 the Abdominal Organ Transplant nurses at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) celebrated their specialty with a pot luck style luncheon.  Gifts were raffled off to members of the nursing team to thank them for the hard work and dedication they demonstrate to our unit and our patients on a daily basis. Several nurses were recognized for achieving their CCTN certification this past year.  A total of 7 nurses on Rhoads 4 at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania are now Certified Clinical Transplant Nurses!  The multidisciplinary transplant team which includes our Certified Transplant Coordinators, Surgeons, Social Workers, Nurse Practitioners, and Physicians Assistants celebrated with the nurses and commended them for all of their achievements throughout the past year.  
Submitted by Rebecca Farrell RN, BSN, CCTN Clinical Nurse IV

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.  My name is Erica Gemellaro and I am the Transplant Unit Based Educator at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Boston, MA. I am a proud member of our solid organ transplant in-patient unit where our dedicated team of nurses care for complex pre and post liver, kidney and pancreas transplant candidates and recipients. In honor of International Transplant Nurse Day, myself and Norma Wells, Transplant Nurse Manager, hosted a number of staff educational opportunities and appreciation festivities. Attached is a picture of our staff; including bedside RNs, Transplant Coordinators, Case Managers, Nutritionist, Manager and Educator. This picture was taken following a game of Transplant Jeopardy, an educational and fun team-building event! We love the work we do. We take pride and care in our patient population and we look forward to celebrating International Transplant Nurse Day again next year!

St. Louis University.  The Abdominal Transplant Office at St. Louis University celebrated Transplant Nurses Day by treating all shifts of the floor and ICU nurses to breakfast treats, served on the ITNS plates and napkins. Names were drawn from a hat for the giveaways.  As an office, all members of the team enjoyed a scrumptious pot luck brunch.  Many of the staff joined the other members of the Gateway Chapter in the evening for dinner, drinks and camaraderie at a local Italian restaurant. 
Submitted by Kathy Howard

St. Joseph Hospital, Orange California. I have some photos of our Donate Life Celebration and festival which we coincided with Transplant Nurses Day.  We set up booths in one of our courtyards to bring awareness to employees and patients about the value of donation. We had health screenings and laptop computers people could log onto and sign up to donate. We had food and entertainment as well. We raised the Donate Life flag and the mayor was present to officially present a proclamation making April the official month in Orange, Ca. recognizing organ, tissue, and bone marrow donation. In the morning we hosted a continental breakfast for our transplant nurses and gave them each a small gift.  It was a fabulous day! 
Submitted by Wendy Escobedo, RN, BSN, CCTN Inpatient Care Coordinator St. Joseph Hospital Kidney Transplant Orange, CA