The nurse's performance in the heart and lung capture process in transplantation center

Abstract

Objective: To describe the activities performed by nurses in the heart and lung harvesting process in a Brazilian transplant center and their implication in the increase in the number of transplants performed. Methods: Descriptive and observational study, focusing on the organizational chart established on the activities of nurses for the evaluation and acceptance of the donor. Results: With the formation of the unit, exclusively dedicated to the capture/transplantation process, between August 2013 and December 2021, there was an increase of 138.18% in adult heart transplants, 76.54% in pediatric transplants and/or congenital heart disease and 63.22% in lung procedures, when compared to the same period in previous years. Conclusion: The study describes for the first time the importance of nurses' performance in the implementation of a successful transplant program and how their actions contributed to the increase in the number of procedures performed and can serve as a model for other centers.