Global nursing and allied health leadership in organ donation and transplantation

This dynamic half-day program brings together global Nursing and Allied Health Professional (AHP) leaders and clinicians to describe the breadth of expertise required to support donors, patients and families through their organ donation or transplantation journeys. The first session focuses on Organ Donation with presentations including describing the evolving role of AHPs; international perspectives and best-practice models in donation nursing; nursing management of deceased donors to optimize quality of organs, tissues and cells; exploring nursing responsibilities in living donor evaluation and follow-up care, as well as optimising communication with donor families to address important ethical, cultural and emotional aspects of care. This session concludes by discussing how nurse-led research and education initiatives are vital to strengthening donation systems globally. The focus shifts to Transplantation after a short break. Presentations will explore the development of transplant nursing roles over the past three decades; the complex coordination required to manage the Australian and New Zealand paired kidney exchange program and the impact of nurse practitioner-led clinics on thoracic transplant patient outcomes. Additional talks focus on the pharmacist’s role in medication adherence and the important, but often under-discussed, topics of sexual health and pregnancy throughout the transplant journey. The session concludes with a personal leadership perspective on how transplant nurses can progress from clinical roles to building and shaping transplant programs and systems.