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The Nevada Donor Network provides 24 hour organ and tissue donor evaluation, family counseling, donor management, organ and tissue recovery and placement services, and histocompatibility services. In addition, the NDN offers public and professional education programs and post-donation family support services.
Organ Recovery Service
Organ procurement coordinators are responsible for patients who have suffered a non-survivable neurological injury. Their job is to maintain the viability of organs for transplantation. The organs they can recover include the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and small intestine. They run lab and diagnostic tests on different organs to judge which are suitable for transplant. The organ recovery staff places organs according to the national UNOS list. The organ coordinators schedule times for the surgical teams to arrive to perform the recovery. The staff facilitates the recovery in the operating room, and insures proper packing and shipping of the organs. The organ recovery staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Tissue and Eye Recovery Service
Tissue coordinators are responsible for the recovery and distribution of all tissues in the Las Vegas Valley. Tissues include heart valves, skin, bones, tendons and veins. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They assess the patient to determine which tissues are most suitable for transplant based on medical/ social history and lab testing. Coordinators recover and ship tissues to various affiliated organizations for further processing and distribution.
The NDN operates a full service eye bank that provides ocular tissue for transplantation. Tissue that cannot be utilized by our local surgeons is sent to other eye banks around the country or shared with other countries through the International Cornea Project.
Histocompatibility (Immunogenetics) Laboratory
The Histocompatibility Laboratory provides Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) donor/recipient typing and cross matching services. The lab provides recipient related services, such as PRA monitoring for UMC and Sunrise Hospital. They provide deceased donor tissue typing for the organ recovery service.
Hospital Development and Education
The education department of the Nevada Donor Network is responsible for educating both the general public and health care workers in Las Vegas and surrounding areas. Our primary focus is to ensure that all people have the opportunity to help others through organ and tissue donation. Educations is vital to the decision making process. This department offers free classes to high schools, healthcare workers, and civic, support, and community groups. They participate in health fairs and hold events to reach the general public about donation. If you are interested in hosting an education program, please contact Jacky Beecher for the general public, or Cyndi Sanders for nurses and healthcare workers.
Family Services
The family service coordinators assist with end of life decisions, and offer the opportunity of donation to family members. Coordinators are available 24 hours a day to provide emotional support for families who donate their loved one's organs. They facilitate donor family and recipient correspondence and meetings. Coordinators also provide a two year follow up program called the Keepsake Program to assist families grieving the loss of their loved one. They coordinate a donor recognition ceremony every two years.
Quality Services
The Quality Services Staff ensures compliance between the Nevada Donor Network and state and federal regulating bodies with concern to organ and tissue donation. The NDN is monitored through policy and procedure review and employee training. They are also responsible for all computer services.
Administrative Services
The Administrative Services division is responsible for various support services such as accounting, payroll, and human resources. This division includes the executive and clerical staff.
