Tami is my husband’s Liver Transplant RN Coordinator. He was transplanted 11 years before I met him and is now 26 years post-op. Remarkably, his overall health is quite good, such that we are both able to work, enjoy raising our 7-year-old son, travel, and socialize with our family and friends.

Over the past year, some unexpected concerns arose necessitating several emergency room visits, multiple procedures and tests, two 5-day hospitalizations, and two liver biopsies, without full resolution. As his wife and primary caregiver, I asked many questions trying to understand the situation, medical recommendations, and plan. Most often, my questions were answered incompletely at best.

During the second hospitalization, I became quite frustrated by the limited explanations, fragmented understanding, and what I perceived as managing only the acute conditions and not factoring in all the problems presenting over the course of the entire year. After he was discharged from his most recent hospitalization, I reached out to Tami to try to grasp the larger picture and learn how to best support my husband in positive health behaviors that will allow us to continue living a full, happy, and healthy life as a family.

When I called, I was frustrated, overwhelmed, and exhausted. I attempted to be respectful but admittedly struggled to manage my emotions. Tami received my questions and emotions with grace, calm compassion, and respect. She listened with the intention of understanding and asked clarifying questions to fully understand the scope of my concerns. It was the first time I felt someone consider my husband’s medical concerns longitudinally and effectively communicate with me.

Tami offered to review his chart to understand the sequence of events, correlate them with my questions, and return my call to explain. Tami called back in a timely manner to share her findings in the chart review. I asked follow-up questions and requested details about clinical reasoning and goals for certain decisions, which she explained clearly and concisely.

I learned my husband had not followed through on all recommendations accurately, likely because he had not properly understood the importance and urgency. I also realized that, because I was not present for the transplant, there were some aspects of my husband’s ongoing care I did not know.

Tami then reviewed general recommendations and emailed me TGH’s “Guide to Personal Care for the Liver Transplant Patient” and corresponding video. Further, she offered to answer any additional questions after we reviewed those resources.

My husband and I are grateful that Tami did not presume we already knew and remembered everything, recognizing that the initial education occurred so long ago, we would benefit from reminders and updated information.

In this encounter, Tami confidently shared her expertise and trusted our ability to learn and improve. She avoided assumptions, judgment, and directive advice, choosing instead to partner with and educate us, building strong rapport and trust.

My husband and I are more confident about the actions we need to take and in the care plan. RN coordinators are positioned to have a tremendous positive impact on patients and families managing complicated, lifelong health conditions.

We are beyond grateful to Tami for her knowledge and skill, and most especially for her thoroughness, patience, and generosity.