
Communication with donor families: ethical, cultural and emotional aspects
Tina Coco (AU)
State Manager/Nursing Director · DonateLife Qld · Brisbane
Tina Coco (AO) is the State Manager and Director of Nursing for DonateLife Queensland. She has been clinically involved in organ and tissue donation for over 30 years, originally as a donor coordinator and later, in 1999 established the statewide organ and tissue donation service for Queensland, Australia. She holds post graduate qualifications in health management (QUT) and a Masters in Donation of Organs, Tissues and Cells for Transplantation from the University of Barcelona.
She has a strong committment to donor family care and communication and has been a national facilitor for family communication training in Australia for donation doctors and nurses. Currently, she leads the development for the national advanced training for donation specialist nurses in family approach and communication through the Organ and Tissue Authority for Australia. She has delivered training workshops and presentations both nationally and internationally on donor family care and communication.
Since 2007, Tina has been an invited lecturer annualy for TPM-DTI International Course in Advanced Transplant Coordination in Barcelona, specialising in family approach.
In 2017, Tina was awarded an Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to community health, as a leader of, and advocate for organ and tissue donation and transplantation coordination organisations at the state, national and international level.