From Cincinnati Children's's posting. “We” and “our” refer to the employer.
- Primary Location
- Burnet Campus Department
- SS Transplant Services Shift
- Day (United States of America) Schedule
- Full time Weekly Hours
40 FTE
1 Employee Status
Regular
*Expected Starting Pay Range
$83,969.60 - $107,224.00 *Starting pay is based on experience, skills, and equity; exceptions may apply for highly qualified candidates. Additional pay (e.g., shift, on‑call, or weekend differentials) and benefits may apply. Annual pay may vary based on FTE status.
- Registered Nurse – Heart Transplant Coordinator
- Schedule: Days | Monday–Friday with occasional evening/weekend and on-call responsibilities
- Make a Difference in the Lives of Children with Complex Heart Disease
At Cincinnati Children’s, the Heart Transplant Program provides highly specialized care to infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with complex heart disease, including cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and uncorrectable congenital heart disease.
We are seeking a Registered Nurse – Heart Transplant Coordinator to join our interdisciplinary Heart Institute team. This role is central to the evaluation, preparation, transplantation, and lifelong management of pediatric patients and their families throughout the transplant journey.
The Heart Transplant Program is the oldest pediatric heart transplant program in Ohio and is part of the Heart Institute’s integrated program connecting cardiomyopathy, heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, and transplantation. Our team includes cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, and other specialists who work together to care for some of the most medically complex patients in pediatric medicine.
The program is approved as a designated transplant program and is a member of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), which operates under federal oversight by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The program is also a member of the Ohio Solid Organ Transplantation Consortium. Our transplant team participates in the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.
In addition to heart transplantation, the program performs approximately 1–2 pediatric lung transplants annually , evaluates approximately 10 patients each year for lung transplantation, and provides ongoing care to patients following lung transplantation.
What You’ll Do
- As a Heart Transplant Coordinator, you will serve as a key clinical resource and advocate for patients and families throughout the transplant continuum.
- Pre-Transplant Evaluation & Coordination
- Conduct pre-transplant interviews with patients and families and obtain comprehensive medical and social histories.
- Explain transplant evaluation requirements, eligibility criteria, and the transplant process to patients, families, physicians, and outside agencies.
- Collect, prepare, analyze, and coordinate pre-transplant clinical information.
- Collaborate with physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing, social work, financial services, and other disciplines to prepare patients and families for transplantation.
- Coordinate required testing, consultations, procedures, and other components of the transplant evaluation.
- Participate in the identification and selection of appropriate transplant candidates in accordance with Cincinnati Children’s Transplant Program and UNOS guidelines.
- Coordinate communication with third-party payers regarding medical necessity, authorization, and transplant benefits.
- Patient & Family Education
- Provide comprehensive education to patients and families regarding transplantation, including evaluation, waiting-list management, transplantation, medications, potential complications, follow-up, and long-term care.
- Prepare patients and families for the physical, emotional, and practical aspects of transplantation.
- Provide individualized education based on developmental needs, health literacy, family circumstances, and the complexity of the patient's condition.
- Serve as an ongoing resource for patients and families throughout the transplant journey.
- Post-Transplant Care & Clinical Management
- Coordinate post-discharge planning and education to ensure patients and families understand their follow-up plan and ongoing care needs.
- Compile and review post-discharge clinical data to support ongoing patient management.
- Provide direct nursing care to transplant patients in the outpatient transplant clinic.
- Perform initial assessments and provide follow-up care for transplant patients in both hospital and outpatient settings.
- Monitor patients for changes in condition, complications, symptoms, and other concerns requiring clinical intervention.
- Provide telephone consultation and follow-up to patients and families.
- Recognize patient problems and symptoms, initiate appropriate nursing interventions, and communicate concerns and recommendations to physicians, APPs, community providers, and other healthcare professionals.
- Care Coordination & Continuity
- Serve as a consistent point of contact for patients and families throughout the transplant process.
- Ensure continuity of care between inpatient admissions, outpatient visits, transplant clinic appointments, and community-based care.
- Coordinate care across the transplant office, outpatient clinic, inpatient nursing units, and community outreach clinics.
- Collaborate closely with transplant physicians, nurse practitioners, nursing staff, social workers, pharmacists, financial specialists, and other members of the interdisciplinary team.
- Facilitate communication between Cincinnati Children’s and referring or community healthcare providers.
- Help patients and families navigate complex healthcare systems and overcome barriers to care.
- Organization & Program Management
- Independently organize and prioritize daily activities based on clinical urgency and patient needs.
- Manage multiple patients simultaneously across different stages of the transplant process, including: Patients undergoing transplant evaluation
- Patients awaiting transplantation
- Hospitalized transplant patients
- Newly transplanted patients
- Long-term transplant recipients
- Prepare transplant summaries, clinic visit summaries, correspondence, and other clinical documentation.
- Maintain accurate and timely patient records and transplant-related data.
- Support transplant program quality, regulatory, and clinical initiatives.
What You’ll Bring
We are looking for an experienced nurse who is highly organized, clinically confident, compassionate, and comfortable managing complex patient populations across multiple care settings.
Required Qualifications
Current Registered Nurse license in the State of Ohio .
5 years nursing experience
Bachelor of Science in Nursing or degree/experience consistent with the Registered Nurse II classification.
Strong clinical assessment and critical-thinking skills.
Excellent communication, organization, and care-coordination skills.
Ability to independently prioritize multiple patients and competing clinical needs.
Ability to collaborate effectively within a highly specialized interdisciplinary team.
Strong patient and family education skills.
Commitment to providing compassionate, relationship-based care to children and families experiencing complex medical conditions.
Preferred Qualifications
- Pediatric nursing experience.
- Experience with heart failure, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, cardiac critical care, or mechanical circulatory support .
- Transplant nursing or transplant coordination experience.
- Experience caring for patients with complex chronic conditions.
- Experience with inpatient-to-outpatient care transitions.
- Experience working with adolescents and young adults with complex medical needs.
- Knowledge of transplant evaluation, organ allocation, UNOS requirements, or transplant-related regulatory standards.
- Certification in a relevant nursing specialty is encouraged.
- A Role with Meaning and Long-Term Impact
- Transplant nursing is more than coordinating appointments and clinical information. As a Heart Transplant Coordinator, you will build long-term relationships with patients and families during some of the most significant moments of their lives.
- You will help a family navigate the uncertainty of transplant evaluation, support patients while they wait for an organ, coordinate care through transplantation and hospitalization, and remain a trusted clinical resource throughout life after transplant.
- Your work will directly contribute to helping children with complex heart disease achieve the best possible outcomes and experience the highest quality of life.
- Why Cincinnati Children’s?
- Cincinnati Children’s is nationally recognized for pediatric care, research, education, and innovation. Within the Heart Institute, you will work alongside nationally recognized experts caring for children with some of the most complex cardiovascular conditions.
- You’ll be part of a collaborative environment where nurses are valued as essential members of the interdisciplinary team and have opportunities to grow their clinical expertise and contribute to improving pediatric healthcare.
- Cincinnati Children’s has been a Magnet-designated organization since 2009 , reflecting our commitment to nursing excellence, professional practice, and exceptional patient care.
- Schedule & Work Environment
- This position works across both clinical and office settings within Cincinnati Children’s.
- Primarily weekday/daytime responsibilities.
- Combination of outpatient clinic, inpatient, and transplant coordination activities.
- Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required based on patient needs and program requirements.
- Requires the ability to coordinate care across multiple departments and settings.
About Us
At Cincinnati Children’s, we come to work with one goal: to make children’s health better. We believe in a holistic team approach, both in caring for patients and their families, and in advancing science and discovery. We strive to do better and find energy and inspiration in our shared purpose. If you want to be the best you can be, you can do it at Cincinnati Children’s.
Cincinnati Children's is:
- Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 10 best Children's Hospitals in the nation for more than 15 years
- Consistently among the top 3 Children's Hospitals for National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding
- Recognized as one of America’s Best Large Employers (2025) , America’s Best Employers for New Grads (2025)
- One of the nation's America’s Most Innovative Companies as noted by Fortune
- Consistently certified as great place to work
- A Leading Disability Employer as noted by the National Organization on Disability
- Magnet® designated for the fourth consecutive time by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
We Embrace Innovation—Together. We believe in empowering our teams with the tools that help us work smarter and care better. That’s why we support the responsible use of artificial intelligence. By encouraging innovation, we’re creating space for new ideas, better outcomes, and a stronger future—for all of us.
Comprehensive job description provided upon request.