Your Stories: Saint Francis Perioperative Staff Learns About New Organ Donation Techniques
May 7, 2024Categories: Events
National Donate Life Month, a time to promote organ, eye, and tissue donation as well as honoring those who have donated their organs, was celebrated in April. Saint Francis is one of the top donation hospitals in the region, and the team was recognized in 2022 with a DAISY Award for their care and compassion.
Brian Burrier, MSN, RN, CNOR, Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Saint Francis, connected with New England Donor Services (NEDS) to have their team come to Hartford to provide education on organ donation to the hospital’s perioperative staff.
Charles Strom, M.D., Surgical Director at NEDS, presented education to the team on Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP) for Donation after Cardiac Death (DCD) organ donation technique. Dr. Strom’s presentation was informative and well-received by the perioperative staff. The team learned about the new technique, which will help save more lives through increasing the viability of organs from donation after cardiac death occurs.
“Saint Francis has a great relationship with NEDS,” said Brian. “It was an amazing opportunity to work together and get this ground-breaking organ donation education to our perioperative team.”
The timing of the education was impeccable, as not long after, the Saint Francis team performed their first NRP after DCD. The team recovered a liver and kidneys for transplant and heart, skin, tendons, and bones for research. Without NRP, the recovered liver would not have been viable for transplant, underscoring the importance of the education the Saint Francis team received.
NEDS also coordinated an educational booth in the Rotunda to promote National Donate Life Month. Patients, families, and colleagues were able to interact with the NEDS team to learn more about the services they provide.
Submitted by Brian Burrier, MSN, RN, CNOR, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Saint Francis.
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