Emergency Department and Main Operating at The University of Tennessee Medical Center
May 2023
Emergency Department and Main Operating
at The University of Tennessee Medical Center
The University of Tennessee Medical Center
Knoxville
,
TN
United States
• Rodney Roswall, RN – ED Team Leader
• Lindsey McGaha, BSN, RN – OR Team Leader
• AnnaMarie Massengill – OR HUC
• Richard Hutchens – OR Attendant
• Sergeant Thomas Potts, UTMC Security
• Officer Joshua De Boer, UTMC Security
• Officer Matthew Mervin, UTMC Security
• Dispatcher Jennifer Joyner, UTMC Security
• Austin Williams – TDS Organ Recovery Coordinator
• Codey Tisdale – TDS Organ Recovery Preservationist
• Lindsey McGaha, BSN, RN – OR Team Leader
• AnnaMarie Massengill – OR HUC
• Richard Hutchens – OR Attendant
• Sergeant Thomas Potts, UTMC Security
• Officer Joshua De Boer, UTMC Security
• Officer Matthew Mervin, UTMC Security
• Dispatcher Jennifer Joyner, UTMC Security
• Austin Williams – TDS Organ Recovery Coordinator
• Codey Tisdale – TDS Organ Recovery Preservationist
A patient on the donor registry was transferred from an outside facility to The University of Tennessee Medical Center for organ retrieval after Tennessee Donor Services (TDS) received authorization for the donation of organs. The family was supportive of the decision, and the patient was scheduled to donate his heart, lung, liver, and kidneys.
TDS secured two transplant teams for these organs. The transplant retrieval teams worked under the leadership of Dr. Antonia Kreso from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The retrieval case started on time and was conducted routinely.
Once retrieved, organs have a short life span before they are no longer viable. Hearts have the shortest window, lasting only 4-6 hours under most circumstances. Therefore, transportation time is of the essence for optimal outcomes.
TDS arranged ambulance transport of the retrieval teams and the organs to the airport. Unfortunately, a scheduled ambulance had been reassigned to 911 calls when the departure time arrived. As a result, the likelihood of the organs expiring before they could be implanted into the recipients suddenly became of utmost concern.
The TDS Organ Recovery Coordinator (ORC), Austin Williams, sought assistance from Lindsey McGaha and Rodney Roswall, UTMC RNs, who led this effort and began coordinating a transportation solution. Rodney contacted ambulance companies throughout Knox County. Meanwhile, Lindsey began querying OR team members to determine if anyone had a vehicle large enough to transport a team to the airport. The nurses also contacted UTMC Security Department. As a result, Sergeant Potts and other team members in Security provided a van and driver to assist in transportation. Luckily, the van was large enough to carry the lung team, and they were able to depart to the airport quickly.
The nurses continued to facilitate transportation options for the heart team as the clock continued to count down. Finally, Lindsey found one team member in the OR with a minivan capable of carrying the team and their gear. Under Lindsey’s direction, the van was prepared for transportation.
Lindsey and an OR Attendant, Richard Hutchens, assisted the team in moving their equipment in preparation for departure. The heart team arrived in the ED ambulance bay while Rodney directed the minivan into the bay. The heart was placed in the driver’s son’s Spider-Man car seat. The minivan departed with only five minutes to spare. The heart team arrived at the airport within seven minutes, and the medevac jet departed. The organs were transplanted into the recipients, and the patients are doing well. The donor patient was able to give the gift of life to five recipients.
This multi-disciplinary team’s swift guidance and skilled collaboration turned a time-sensitive challenge into a successful outcome, based on their quick thinking and dedication to patient care. Special thanks to team members from UTMC’s Emergency Department, the Main Operating Room, Security Division, Tennessee Donor Services, Dr. Antonia Kreso, and the Organ Retrieval teams.
TDS secured two transplant teams for these organs. The transplant retrieval teams worked under the leadership of Dr. Antonia Kreso from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The retrieval case started on time and was conducted routinely.
Once retrieved, organs have a short life span before they are no longer viable. Hearts have the shortest window, lasting only 4-6 hours under most circumstances. Therefore, transportation time is of the essence for optimal outcomes.
TDS arranged ambulance transport of the retrieval teams and the organs to the airport. Unfortunately, a scheduled ambulance had been reassigned to 911 calls when the departure time arrived. As a result, the likelihood of the organs expiring before they could be implanted into the recipients suddenly became of utmost concern.
The TDS Organ Recovery Coordinator (ORC), Austin Williams, sought assistance from Lindsey McGaha and Rodney Roswall, UTMC RNs, who led this effort and began coordinating a transportation solution. Rodney contacted ambulance companies throughout Knox County. Meanwhile, Lindsey began querying OR team members to determine if anyone had a vehicle large enough to transport a team to the airport. The nurses also contacted UTMC Security Department. As a result, Sergeant Potts and other team members in Security provided a van and driver to assist in transportation. Luckily, the van was large enough to carry the lung team, and they were able to depart to the airport quickly.
The nurses continued to facilitate transportation options for the heart team as the clock continued to count down. Finally, Lindsey found one team member in the OR with a minivan capable of carrying the team and their gear. Under Lindsey’s direction, the van was prepared for transportation.
Lindsey and an OR Attendant, Richard Hutchens, assisted the team in moving their equipment in preparation for departure. The heart team arrived in the ED ambulance bay while Rodney directed the minivan into the bay. The heart was placed in the driver’s son’s Spider-Man car seat. The minivan departed with only five minutes to spare. The heart team arrived at the airport within seven minutes, and the medevac jet departed. The organs were transplanted into the recipients, and the patients are doing well. The donor patient was able to give the gift of life to five recipients.
This multi-disciplinary team’s swift guidance and skilled collaboration turned a time-sensitive challenge into a successful outcome, based on their quick thinking and dedication to patient care. Special thanks to team members from UTMC’s Emergency Department, the Main Operating Room, Security Division, Tennessee Donor Services, Dr. Antonia Kreso, and the Organ Retrieval teams.