What does a transplant nurse do?
A transplant nurse is a registered nurse who cares for patients awaiting or recovering from an organ transplant, and for donors. Duties include monitoring for rejection and infection, managing immunosuppressive drugs and teaching long-term self-care.
Roles
Staff nurses on transplant units, coordinators who manage the waiting list and follow-up, and procurement coordinators who work with donor families. Coordinator roles usually need experience.
Training
An RN license, then experience in critical care or a medical-surgical unit with transplant exposure. The American Board for Transplant Certification offers the voluntary certified clinical transplant nurse (CCTN) credential.
Pay
Transplant nurses are not a separate group in federal data. The median RN earned $97,550 in May 2025.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.