Perfusion Coordinator

Are you looking to make a difference? Team up with Gift of Hope!

Gift of Hope is dedicated to coordinating organ and tissue donation in the northern three-quarters of Illinois and northwest Indiana. Our goal is to provide the highest quality service to families and hospitals as we strive to fulfill our mission of saving and enhancing the lives of as many people as possible through organ and tissue donation.  

Summary

Perform kidney dissection/cannulation under sterile conditions necessary for machine preservation;  

coordinate the machine perfusion of deceased donor kidneys; coordinate the placement of kidneys that meet pump criteria from deceased donors via the national organ allocation system; process tissue from deceased donor kidneys for histological review via telepathology services; conduct inventory management of supplies for the Organ Recovery Department.

Compensation range for this position:  $32.30 - $36.30 per hour

Our Benefits

In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a comprehensive benefits package:

• Medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance options for full-time employees
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) plan
• 403(b) retirement plan with company match
• Tuition Reimbursement up to the IRS-allowed maximum
• Personalized learning and educational development opportunities
• Monthly cell phone and internet stipends
• Paid Parental Leave
• Annual Employer-funded Lifestyle Spending Accounts to support wellness needs
• Support and counseling for personal, work financial or family needs through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and our partnership with Critical Incident Stress Consultants (CISC)

Essential Functions

The following essential functions are the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation.

•  Advance Gift of Hope's mission, vision and core values:  providing compassionate service, contributing to outstanding teams and engaging as one of our passionate people committed to a positive culture that respects the dignity and worth of each individual. Adhere to all policies and procedures in carrying out the responsibilities of this position.
• Participate in 12-hour on-call night shift rotation to coordinate renal organ placement and hypothermic machine perfusion of deceased donor kidneys
• Communicate with transplant centers to allocate organs in accordance with OPTN/UNOS policy; document the disposition of these organs
• Use DonorNet to disseminate donor information and organ offer notification; accurately document placement efforts in the Gift of Hope EMR
• Identify, document and communicate required clinical information to associated Gift of Hope staff, transplant center staff and administrators
• Participate in on-call rotation to perform kidney dissection and preparation of deceased donor kidneys for machine perfusion
• Document and input perfusion-related information into DonorNet as required
• Package and label organs for transplantation or research according to policy.
• Obtain, process, stain and scan kidney biopsies for telepathology
• Monitor and maintain key Organ Operations supplies and equipment
• Participate in departmental quality assurance initiatives, meetings, educational activities and required training as assigned 
• Participate in training and mentoring new staff as assigned
• Other duties as assigned

Education and Training Required

The following identifies the minimum education and training required to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Degree or certification in one of the health sciences with a minimum of 2 years’ experience as an RN, EMT/Paramedic, Respiratory Therapist or Certified Surgical Technologist or equivalent work experience

• Other candidates may be considered on an individual basis at the discretion of management, dependent on aligned job experience

Experience and Skills Required

The following indicates the minimum skills and experience required to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Experience with interpretation of lab values, diagnostic testing and medical terminology
• Experience working with and understanding sterile technique
• Basic computer skills
• Ability to learn and become proficient in the calibration, operation, troubleshooting and monitoring of equipment necessary for machine perfusion, histological slide processing, and OR equipment
• Ability to learn and become proficient in the set-up, maintenance, and disinfection of histological equipment, the perfusion laboratory, surgical instruments and perfusion equipment ensuring machine preservation is performed under sterile conditions

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Visual acuity to read and monitor equipment
• Fine motor skills to perform essential clinical and technical skills required
• Ability to lift 50 lbs. of equipment from ground level to table-top level
• Ability to stand, walk, sit, bend, stoop and kneel to perform job functions
• Ability to hear and speak to convey information to co-workers and hospital staff
• Ability to learn and use technology such as computers, mobile devices and medical equipment and related software for communication, documentation, and clinical purposes

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that will be encountered by an employee while performing the essential functions of the job.

• Normal office environment
• In-house perfusion laboratory and histology laboratory
• Access to reliable transportation for work
• 12-hour shifts including day shifts, night shifts, weekends, holidays as assigned, and shifts extending beyond 12 hours when responsibilities warrant
• Ability to work a 12-hour on-call schedule a minimum of 14 days per month, which includes 2 weekends per month and rotating holidays

• Carry a personal cell phone to be accessible outside regular business hours

Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and does not discriminate with regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, military or veteran status, family medical history or genetic information or any other classification protected by applicable law. All employment decisions are made based on an individual’s job-related qualifications and abilities.