Organ Procurement Transporter

[E_R_Nurse]

Hello,

My name is Jonathan. I recently graduated with my LPN and currently pursuing my RN. I am interested in organ transplant transportation via plane or helicopter. I know that a typical flight nurse position requires 3-5 years of ICU/trauma experience - future plans. My question is, how do nurses get jobs with flight organ transplant transportation? I have searched everywhere, but cannot find anything. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

-Jonathan

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Typically the procurement team transports the organ. It is not a separate person uninvolved in the process. Flight nursing really doesn't enter into transporting organs and not entire patients.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Our surgeons for organ procurement come from the transplanting facility in the majority of cases. The organ(s) go with them.

Additionally, based on the organ and the distance to the receiving facility, it may be more common for ground transport in the form of ambulances to be used. The only organs that leave via air in my facility are heart and lungs, and these are transferred in the regular chopper used for patient transport, not one dedicated to transplant only. Because of our patient population that consent to donation, we procure far more kidney and liver than we do heart and lung.

[/username, BSN, RN]

The only organs that don't go immediately and directly with the surgeon who took it out are the kidneys, and sometimes liver and pancreas. It's typically handled by Sterling/Quick. I have no idea who they hire, but it sure as *** isn't ICU nurses.

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

I used to work for an ems service that did transport harvest teams from the airport to the hospital and then back to the airport following procuring the organ(s).

never was there an RN on that team was always 2 or more surgeons that were specifically trained for organ removal and transplant. They would use RN staff in the hospital and had no need to travel with their own nursing staff.