Professional Development

Core Competencies

The Core Competency guidelines provide a broad scope of diverse professional practices unique to each OPO and Transplant Center.  The guidelines have been developed to provide a minimum competency for practitioners and set clear performance expectations for OPO and transplant practitioners. 

NATCO offers Core Competencies for the:

  • Clinical Transplant Coordinator
  • Procurement Transplant Coordinator
  • Advanced Practice Transplant Professional
  • Clinical Transplant Nurse
  • Requestor

Administrators & Directors:

Evaluate Your Staff According to the CCTC and CPTC Core Competencies utilizing NATCO’s Evaluation Tool

 

NATCO members may access guidelines HERE.

Clinical Transplant Coordinator

The Core Competencies for the Transplant Coordinator outline coordinator competencies that are broad in scope to acknowledge the diverse professional practices unique to each transplant center. They are meant to be applicable to both adult and pediatric age groups and cover eight categories, including:

  1. Transplant Referral and Evaluation
  2. Pre-Transplant Waiting Period
  3. Peri-Operative Period
  4. Post-Transplant In-Patient Period
  5. Post-Transplant Out-Patient Period
  6. Living Donation
  7. Professional Development
  8. Professional Practice

Procurement Transplant Coordinator

The Core Competencies for the Procurement Practitioner outline general practitioner/coordinator competencies that are broad in scope to acknowledge the diverse professional practices unique to each organ and tissue procurement organization. They are meant to be applicable to both adult and pediatric donors and cover 13 categories, including:

  1. Hospital Development and Professional Education
  2. Organ and Tissue Donor Evaluation
  3. Family Approach and Consent
  4. Medical/Social History Interview
  5. Medical-Legal Activities
  6. Organ Donor Management
  7. Organ Allocation
  8. Surgical Recovery and Organ and Tissue Preservation
  9. Donor Records
  10. Family Post-Donation Communication
  11. Hospital Post-Donation Communication
  12. Professional Development
  13. Professional Practice

Advanced Practice Transplant Professional

The Core Competencies for the Advanced Practice Transplant Professional outline the criteria a healthcare provider directing care for patients who are potential/actual organ donors (living and deceased), transplant candidates or transplant recipients and has an advanced level education in their profession. Often referred to as mid-level providers or physician extenders: A medical provider who is not a physician but is licensed to diagnose and treat patients in collaboration with a physician, extending the availability of health care.  They are meant to be applicable to both adult and pediatric age groups and cover eight categories, including:

  • Transplant Referral and Evaluation
  • Pre-Transplant Waiting Period
  • Perioperative Period
  • Post-Transplant in-patient period
  • Post-Transplant Out-Patient Period
  • Living Donation
  • Professional Development
  • Professional Practice

Clinical Transplant Nurse

The Core Competencies for the Clinical Transplant Nurse outline general transplant nurse competencies that are broad in scope to acknowledge the diverse professional practices unique to each transplant center.  They are meant to be applicable to both adult and pediatric donors and cover eight categories, including:

  • Competencies
  • Pre-Transplantation 
  • Perioperative
  • Post-Transplant Inpatient
  • Living Donation
  • Ethics
  • Professional Practice
  • Professional Development

Requestor

The Core Competencies for the Requestor outline general family service competencies that are broad in scope to acknowledge the diverse professional practices unique to each transplant center. They are meant to be applicable to both adult and pediatric age groups and cover six categories, including:

  1. Legal Status and Historical Background of Organ Donation/Transplantation
  2. Practice Standards
  3. Clinical Practice
  4. Medically and Ethically Sound Practice
  5. Family Advocacy
  6. Requesting

Administrators & Directors:

Evaluate Your Staff According to the Core Competencies
NATCO has also developed CCTC and CPTC Evaluation Tools to assist Directors and Administrators to accurately evaluate staff performance according to the Core Competencies.

  • CCTC Evaluation Tool
  • CPTC Evaluation Tool

    • NATCO members may access tools HERE.