Development of a Pulmonary Workshop for Organ Recovery Coordinators’ Continuing Medical Education

Abstract

Organ recovery coordinators (ORCs) have varied professional education backgrounds; however, based on their specialized education, their training may not have included in-depth mechanical ventilation and pulmonary management. An 8-hour pulmonary workshop was developed in collaboration between an organ procurement organization and a university-based respiratory care department. The workshop focused on pulmonary management and hands-on laboratory exercises using mechanical ventilators. A program assessment questionnaire was completed by participants following the workshop, which requested their self-reported comfort/familiarity with pulmonary management skills before and after the workshop on a 5-point Likert scale. Following the pulmonary workshop, the mean ORC comfort/familiarity for all pulmonary management skills increased significantly (P < .01). This program suggests ORCs can develop a greater awareness and comfort with pulmonary management by participating in a continuing education pulmonary workshop. Continuing education initiatives focused on pulmonary management of donor patients using hands-on competencies should be part of the ORCs practice improvement efforts.