We work for our patients and families and we believe children come first. That goes for all the positions open at Children’s Minnesota. Our doctors, nurses, support staff, custodial staff, cooks and more are all important to the mission of Children’s Minnesota.
In honor of American Heart Month, we sat down with Elizabeth Wagner, transplant program manager at Children’s Minnesota, to learn more about her work in pediatric cardiology.
Hear from Elizabeth
Describe your role and what a typical day might look like.
Given the heavy regulations and complexity of transplant programs, my role as the transplant manager includes oversight of the day-to-day operations of the transplant program to ensure that transplant patients and those who care for them are functioning in alignment with all the policies set by the regulatory agencies that oversee all transplant programs including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).Organ transplant is regulated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) established under the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 is the unified transplant network administered by UNOS under a contract with HRSA.
What drew you to working in pediatric cardiology?
I actually did not want to work with pediatric cardiac patients, it was by default that I began caring for them. I had just begun working in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with a busy pediatric cardiac surgery program. I was a new nurse on the unit and was assigned to this patient population regularly because the nursing staff did not like working with the cardiac surgeon at the time. I grew to love taking care of these patients and they have been an integral part of my career ever since.
You’ve been part of Children’s Minnesota’s journey to launch a heart failure and heart transplant program – what has been the most exciting part? What are you looking forward to in the future?
The most exciting part of the journey to launch the pediatric heart failure and heart transplant program has been the elimination of patients and families leaving Children’s Minnesota to receive the care that they need. I have witnessed how difficult transplant is for families, the last thing they need is to be moved to a new program at the most challenging part of a child’s illness.
I am looking forward to continued growth of the program and contributing to the recognition of Children’s Minnesota as the premier cardiac institute in Minnesota.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my family.
What is your favorite winter activity?
Counting the days until I don’t have to wear boots.
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