CETC
Certification European Transplant Coordinator (CETC)
Application deadline extended to June 30, 2010
1. Introduction
2. Key tasks of the Transplant Coordinator
3. Background of the CETC
4. The Future Programme of the CETC
5. Advantages of ETCO Continuing to Organize the CETC
6. The programme in further detail
7. Educational Resources for CETC Examinations
1. Introduction
The Certification of European Transplant Coordinators, CETC, has been run for seven years by the European Transplant Coordinators Organization, ETCO who accredit the knowledge, training and experience of transplant coordinators, providing a certification for an internationally recognizable level of expertise. It takes into account job profile, training, experience, participation in research and teaching as well as knowledge measured in an examination offered annually. From 2010, the organization of the CETC will be carried out within the UEMS by the Board of Transplant Coordination, within the Division of Transplantation of the Section of Surgery in close collaboration with ETCO.
2. Key tasks of Transplant Coordinators
Transplant coordinators are health care professionals of varying profiles, directly involved in patient care and with increasingly complex responsibilities and standards of expertise.
Transplant coordinators should implement strategies to evaluate the donor pool, diagnose hospital performance, start a proactive donor detection programme, raise the effective/potential donor index and improve objective figures of organ donation (number of donors, percentage of MOD, number of transplants per donor) at their work places. They should be involved in hospital development activities and promotion of other projects (NHBD, tissue donation, preservation, hospital and public awareness) and are frequently involved in training and research.
Transplant donor coordinators are responsible for identifying potential organ donors and managing the whole donation process in order to maximize the rate of organ and tissue donation from deceased donors. Procedures central to the process of organ donation and procurement include: donor management; determination of death; the obtaining of consent/ authorization; organ and tissue retrieval, preparation, preservation, packaging and final transport to the transplant hospital and tissue banks, and finally the organization of a quality control system to ensure the safety, quality and transparency of all the procedures performed.Experience in clinical coordination including waiting-list management, assessment of transplant recipients, patient education, coordination of transplant surgery activities, post-operative and outpatient clinical activities are necessary for those working in a clinical context.
Coordinators should promote donation and supervise the teamwork of the whole process, be aware of all legal criteria and be responsible for the custody of the documents concerning donor evaluation, brain death determination and donor consent.
3. Background of the CETCThe Certification Committee (CC) of the European Transplant Coordinators Organization, chaired by Dr Francesco Procaccio, current ETCO president, formally started its activity in July 1999 during the ETCO Congress held in Oslo. The committee was composed of six ETCO members from as many countries.
The main aim was to identify common core job descriptions and basic standards of practice across Europe with the help of recognized experts in Transplant Coordination, and to develop a method of Certification. By 2000, the CC had designed an examination system based on the demonstration of basic knowledge of the whole transplant coordination process and on achieved level of competence in the field.A Credentialing and Certification Board (CCB) with representatives from the Universities of Barcelona (Spain) - Dr. David Paredes, Vienna (Austria) - Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Mühlbacher and Porto (Portugal) - Dr. José Fernando Teixeira, all of whom offered academic support, and a representative from the European Organ Exchange Organisations, Dr. Nils H. Persson, was created to assist the CC in the development, administration, assessment, analysis and accreditation of the Certification.
The main aim of this programme was to develop "European standardized assessment and recognition of Transplant Coordination skills" establishing "a high standard of professional training consistent with internationally recognised standards, to ensure the highest possible professional and ethical standards in organ donation and procurement"Certification exams were performed annually at the ETCO congresses from 2001 to 2007 inclusive. With a total of 389 transplant coordinators accredited and seven years experience, recommendations from the Council of Europe and changes in the mandate of European universities have made it necessary to update and adapt the CETC to the current requisites.
4. The Future Programme of the CETC
The CETC will now be offered under the auspices of a pan-European, professionally-recognized body. The UEMS is the only professional organization in Europe that has the authority and the organizational structure that can support the examination/accreditation of active and world-class healthcare professionals such as Transplant Coordinators. The CETC will be conducted and organized by the new Board of Transplant Coordination within the Division of Transplantation of the Surgical Section of UEMS, in close collaboration with ETCO.
The Board consists of professional transplant coordinators, 2 from each member state of the UEMS or all European countries, nominated or elected by the professional organizations in each country. The main objective of the Board is to guarantee the best standard of care in organ and tissue donation in Europe by establishing homologous standards of practice and ensuring that training in transplant coordination is maintained at the highest level. The Board researches and validates curriculums and verifies candidates' qualifications and experience.Certification consists of 2 stages, eligibility and examination. Candidates have to fulfil the following professional criteria in order to be eligible to sit the exam:
- Be a practicing transplant coordinator for a determined number of years
- Have undergone training as a transplant coordinator in accredited courses
- Fulfil experience criteria for the module they are being examined in
- Provide references and certificates of the above.
Credit will be given for participation in published research and teaching in accredited courses.
Once their credentials have been verified and they are judged eligible to sit the examination, they can apply to sit one or more modules:Module 1: General Transplant Coordination
Module 2: Donation after Cardiac Death Coordination
Module 3: Living Donor Coordination
Module 4: Recipient Transplant Coordination
Module 5: Tissue Donation Coordination
Examinations will be held annually at the ETCO Congress.
The examinations will be oral, initially offered in English only and be up to an hour long. They will be adjudicated by an examination board of 3 transplant coordinators, 2 selected by the Board of Transplant Coordination, 1 of whom is an expert in the field, and a member of ETCO appointed by the ETCO Board.The introduction of re-certification every five years is being evaluated. CETCs that were accredited to candidates in 2006 and 2007 will remail valid until the re-certification programme commences.
During the initial two years of the new programme, the examination will be waived for highly trained candidates with long experience, on the decision of the Executive Committee of the Board of Transplant Coordination.5. Advantages of ETCO Collaborating with the CETC
ETCO is an international organization of transplant coordinators, not-for-profit and democratically structured, with members from most European countries (33) and which has been running for 26 years and becoming increasingly active, professional and representative.ETCO has run the CETC for seven years with nearly 400 transplant coordinators already accredited.
The professional obligations and responsibilities of transplant coordinators make their independence an indispensable characteristic. Situated between intensive care and transplantation surgery, their objectivity is ethically and professionally essential.ETCO has the infrastructure, the experience, the occasion and the venue to collaborate with the organization of the certification programme and would aim to re-launch the revised CETC at the European Organ Donation Congress, 22nd ETCO Cardiff, 24-26 September, 2010.
6. The Programme in Further Detail
Eligibility
Candidates to sit the exam must fulfil the following criteria:
1. Have a license to practice as a health care professional
2. Have undergone training as a transplant coordinator at a university or training programme recognized by the UEMS/committee.
3. Have been practicing as a transplant coordinator at an officially recognized hospital or local, regional or national sharing office for at least 12 months prior to sitting the exam.
4. Have attended at least one educational congress or meeting.
5. Provide a log book of the number of organ and tissue donations managed in the previous 12 months to 60 months. The log book must include date, hospital, and function of the transplant coordinator and be signed by the hospital.
6. Provide details of all training, teaching and publishing in the field of transplant coordination in the previous 12 months to 60 months.
7. Have a competent level of English as initially the exam will be given in this language.
8. Provide copies of all certificates, work experience, existing professional position, and teaching imparted, signed by the institution concerned.
9. Training and experience levels will be measured according to the following point system, candidates must have at least 20 points:
|
Fulfilment of a recognized course in transplant coordination |
10 points |
|
Publication in scientific journal |
5 points |
|
Presentation at recognized international congress |
8 points |
|
Presentation at national congress |
5 points |
|
Participation as teacher in recognized transplant coordination training |
8 points |
|
Stage in another sharing office/transplant centre to the one trained at. |
5 points |
10. Practical experience levels while working in the field as mentioned above and documented in the log-book will be measured according to the following minimum numbers of procedures performed (cases):
|
|
Module 1 |
Module 2 |
Module 3 |
Module 4 |
Module 5 |
|
|
Basic |
DCD |
Living Donor |
Recipient |
Tissue Donation |
|
Procedures |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coordination of Multi Organ donation procedures including abdominal organs and at least in half of the cases thoracic organs including organ preservation, shipping etc. (performed) |
25 |
|
|
|
|
|
Coordination of DCD donation procedures or equivalent donation procedures under medical urgency due to instability including organ preservation, shipping etc. (performed) |
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
Recipient Coordination of transplantations (performed) |
|
|
|
30 |
|
|
Recipient Coordination of transplantations (assisted) |
3 |
|
|
10 |
|
|
Management of waiting list for more than 1 year |
|
|
|
Certificate by employer |
|
|
Management of recipient care after transplantation for more than 1 year |
|
|
|
Certificate by employer |
|
|
Donor management procedures including review of death certification and legal procedures (may be the same cases as coordinated procedures above) |
25 |
15 |
|
|
|
|
Family interviews (may be the same cases as coordinated procedures above) |
10 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
Nationally CME certified educations as presenter |
5 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
Coordination of Tissue donations (isolated or within multi-organ donation performed), may be part of coordinated procedures as above |
5 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
Living donation procedures coordinated (assisted) including donor- and recipient operation |
3 |
|
25 |
|
|
11. The applicant must complete and sign the application form and send it in with copies of Certificate of present job as a TC, Certificate of Experience as a TC, valid Health License, CV, Diploma(s)/Certificates of training as a TC
Module 1: General Transplant Coordination
Subject Objective:
Ability to understand the principal aspects related with donation and transplantation of organs and tissues:
Ability to establish a proactive donor detection program
Ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams to facilitate organ and tissue donation
Knowledge:
Comprehensive understanding of the indications and contraindications for organ and tissue transplantation
Comprehensive understanding of immunology: ABO compatibility, HLA matching, cross match, rejection and immunosuppression.
Comprehensive knowledge of the diagnosis of death by neurological and cardio-pulmonary criteria
Comprehensive knowledge of the laws, which support the diagnosis of death and donation
Comprehensive knowledge of the medical exclusion criteria for organ and tissue donation
Principles of donor management
Principles of family approach
Knowledge of the retrieval procedures, preservation, packaging, transportation and traceability of organs and tissues
Understanding of the organ allocation system
Principles of management of organizations
Principles of business management
Clinical Skills:
Detection and identification of possible donors
Organ and tissue viability criteria
Facilitation of the diagnosis of death by brain and cardio-pulmonary criteria
Donor management
Family and legal procedures
Coordinate organ and tissues retrieval
Organization of organ and tissue sharing and distribution
Manage a quality system to ensure safety and transparency of practice
Professional Skills:
Ability to work and manage a multi-disciplinary team
Accurate documentation skills
Verbal and non-verbal communication skills
High level of organisational skills
Ability to educate health professionals and the community
Ability to professionally represent the organization to key stakeholders, the community and the media
Module 2: Donation after Cardiac Death (DCD) Coordination
Subject Objective:
Ability to identify the potential DCD donor
Ability to facilitate DCD organs and tissues retrieval
Ability to manage the legal and ethical issues for donation after cardiac death
Knowledge:
Comprehensive understanding of the Maastricht categories for DCD
Thorough knowledge of the legal framework that describes end-of-life care
Understanding of the ethical issues for health professionals in critical care areas
Knowledge of transplant outcomes for organs compromised by warm ischemia
Principles of family approach for donation after cardiac death
Clinical Skills:
Ability to identify potential DCD donors in the clinical setting
Ability to evaluate and assess donor suitability
Communicate effectively with the donor family in the approach for consent
Ability to facilitate organ retrieval to minimise warm ischemic damage
Professional Skills:
Ability to work and manage a multi-disciplinary team
Ability to identify key health professionals in the clinical setting to support DCD
Demonstrate advocacy for donor intentions
High level of organisational skills
Ability to educate health professionals in donation after cardiac death
Module 3: Living Donor Coordination
Subject objective
Ability to select a suitable living donor
Ability to facilitate living donor transplantation
Ability to manage the legal and ethical issues related with living donation
Knowledge
Comprehensive understanding of the diseases responsible for organ failure
Indications and contraindications for living organ transplantation
Comprehensive understanding of immunology: ABO compatibility, HLA matching, cross match, rejection and immunosuppression.
Knowledge of pre and post transplant management
Knowledge of post donation and post transplant complications
Knowledge of the legal and ethical issues related with living donation
Clinical skills
Collect and evaluate data and make recommendations pertinent to potential organ donation and transplantation
Assess suitability for the donor and recipient
Prepare the potential donor and recipient for organ transplantation
Coordinate preoperative care for donor and recipient
Follow-up of the donor and recipient
Professional skills
Ability to act in a multi-disciplinary environment
Support transplantation research and education
Follow ethical and legal guidelines
Module 4: Recipient Transplant Coordination
Subject Objective:
Ability to post transplantation monitoring and maintenance
Knowledge:
Comprehensive understanding of the diseases responsible for organ failure
Indications and contraindications for organ transplantation
Comprehensive understanding of immunology: ABO compatibility, HLA matching, cross match, rejection and immunosuppression.
Knowledge of post transplant management
Knowledge of post transplant complications
Clinical Skills:
Evaluate objective clinical signs
Monitor laboratory results
Monitor graft function for complications
Identify potential complications and appropriate interventions
Evaluate graft rejection
Recognize signs and symptoms of infections
Maintain patient safety and prevent infections
Evaluate psycho-social response
Educate transplant recipient and family
Initiate patient self-care teaching
Professional Skills:
Ability to act in a multi-disciplinary environment
Support transplantation research and education
Follow ethical and legal guidelines
Module 5: Tissue Donation Coordination
Subject objective
Ability to assess tissue donation from living and deceased donors
Knowledge
Comprehensive understanding of the diseases treatable by tissue transplantation
Indications and contraindications for tissue donation and transplantation
Knowledge of the retrieval procedures, preservation, packaging, transportation and traceability of tissues
Knowledge of the legal and ethical issues related with tissue donation and transplantation
Clinical skills
Evaluation of donor suitability
Able to undertake consent procedure
Coordinate tissue retrieval
Processing and storage of donated tissue
Creating a database of the grafts available for clinical use
Keeping a registry and monitoring all grafts to ensure their traceability and quality control
Professional skills
Ability to act in a multidisciplinary environment
Practice evidence-based medicine: audit, clinical trials, journal review
Follow medico-legal and ethical issues
Record and retrieve information from databases
Examination
1) The examination will be held annually at the ETCO congress.
2) Modules will be examined separately and individually.
3) Examinations are oral in front of an examination board of three and up to an hour's duration.
5) The examination board will be constituted in the following way:
a) The chairman - a member of the BTC and an expert in the field being examined. He/she is appointed by the BTC.
b) One member of the BTC appointed by the Executive committee of BTC, ideally an expert in the field.
c) One representative from ETCO appointed by the ETCO Board.
The chairman will appoint one to keep the minutes of the examination process, to be signed by all the committee, forwarded to the Executive Committee of the BTC and filed by the Senior Secretary of the Division.
The examination committee shall not include members of the same nationality as the candidate
6) The examination will be conducted in the following way:
a) Candidates can be asked on all topics outlined in the syllabus
b) Part 1: candidates will be asked direct questions. Test cases, results of biochemical and imaging tests and organ treatment parameters can be used.
c) Part 2: candidates will be asked to discuss issues concerning topics on the syllabus and possibly role play scenarios described by examiners.
7) Adjudication of the exam:
a) The examination committee will discuss the candidate's performance in his/her absence and decide on a pass/fail mark. Each member has 1 vote.
b) The decision of the committee is final and not open to appeal.
c) Candidates are informed of their result by email and in writing within one week of the examination.
d) Candidates who have passed the examination will be awarded the Certificate of European Transplant Coordinator (CETC) according to the module/s examined.
7. Educational Resources for CETC Examinations
Prepared by the ETCO Certification Committee
José-María Domínguez-Roldán, Sevilla, Spain. Chairman
Mirela Busic, Zagreb, Croatia
Jen McDermott, London, UK
David Paredes Zapata, Barcelona, Spain
Lorenza Ridolfi, Bologna, Italy
- Domain 1, DETECTION
- Domain 2, INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Domain 3, DEATH MANAGEMENT
- Domain 4, IDENTIFICATION
- Domain 5, FAMILY APPROACH
- Domain 6, EDUCATIONAL
- Domain 7, PROGRAMMES
- Domain 8, ALLOCATION
- Domain 9, ETHICAL
- Domain 10, RECIPIENT
