The creation of the Transplant Case Manager role can dramatically affect a renal unit by adding a new dimension to the focus of care. Similarly to the creation of the Chronic Kidney Disease Nurse roles, the establishment of a Transplant Case Manager role can raise the profile of Transplant as a renal replacement therapy. At the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, the focus has shifted from one of Chronic Kidney Didease and the options of peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis to a more holistic approach embracing renal transplantation. This has resulted in a dramatic rise by over 80% in number of patients transplanted as well as the number of patients active on the transplant waiting list being over tripled within 12 months.

The role also encompasses the case management of post transplant patients to ensure their care is more coordinated with the eventual aim of better graft and patient survival. The scope of the role is constantly under review with the establishment of Key Performance Indicators and the inclusion of transplant research. Creation of the Transplant Case Manager positions improves the patients access to transplantation in a timely manner and assists in raising the profile of transplantation and ensuring that it is kept in the forefront of the minds of both the medical and nursing staff in the renal unit.