Nurse Clinician Tan Hui Fen, has been involved in organ procurement and transplantation surgeries for 10 years. She has assisted in countless transplantation surgeries and shared that the key challenge is the extra level of coordination as the team needs to time the donor surgery and recipient surgery for optimal outcomes.

“Transplant surgeries can be especially difficult for OT nurses during deceased donor procurement surgeries. Knowing that the patient has passed on and is giving a gift of life to someone else makes it a very emotional moment for us. We remember that we are helping to save another person’s life and that drives us to focus during long surgeries,” said Ms Tan.

One of her most memorable experiences early in her career was observing Assoc Prof Alexander Chung during a procurement surgery. “He quietly thanked the donor and ensured that the donor’s eyes were closed after cornea retrieval.” His actions inspired her to show a similar level of respect and care for deceased donors. On top of her clinical duties, Ms Tan also trains younger nurses, passing on her skills and experiences.