The 34th Annual Dr. Shamkant Mulgaonkar Transplant Surgeon Designee Symposium for Chronic Kidney Disease Professionals
Partners in Care: Transplant & Dialysis
Thursday, March 27, 2025 | 7:45am – 4:15pm
Pines Manor - 2085 Lincoln Highway, Edison, NJ 08817
For Both Initial Certification and Re-certification for Nurses and Social Workers
Contact Hours for Nurses, Social Workers, Patient Care Technicians and Dietitians.
This symposium is designed to provide the necessary knowledge and skills for healthcare professionals who wish to broaden their knowledge of renal and pancreas transplantation as a treatment modality for their CKD patients. It is specifically designed for dialysis nurses, patient care technicians, dialysis social workers and dietitians. The symposium will also provide initial and recertification for Transplant Surgeon Designees.
Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:
1. Identify two best practices to increase the number of patients listed for transplant at your facility
2. Describe three responsibilities of the a transplant surgeon designee
3. Identify two risk factors for health disparities in kidney transplantation
4. Identify one potential surgical complication of kidney transplantation
5. List resources for patients to help find a potential living kidney donor
6. Identify two considerations in the psychosocial evaluation of transplant recipients
7. Describe two considerations in the management of patients in the immediate post-transplant period.
8. Discuss how UNOS eGFR modification policy can impact transplant waiting time for patients
9. Describe key components of transplant nutrition after kidney transplant
10. Describe how virtual crossmatching can decrease the time from kidney offer to kidney transplant surgery
Program Agenda
7:00am
Registration Opens
7:45am
Welcome & Introductions
- Christina Psathas
8:00am
Navigating Change: Updates in Kidney Transplantation
- Francis L. Weng, MD, MSCE
9:00am
Transplant Basics for the Surgeon Designee
- Christina Psathas
- Jami Abes, RN, BSN, CCTC
- Mayda Alvarez, RN, BSN, CCTC
- Erin Forman, LCSW, CCTSW
10:00am
Break (Exhibit Visits)
10:15am
Healthcare Disparities in Kidney Transplantation
- Mary Bringas, MSW, LCSW
10:45am
The Patient’s Perspective on Kidney Transplantation – Panel Discussion
- Shelly Morningstar - Moderator
11:15am
The Surgeon’s Perspective on Transplantation
- Matthew Hanlon, MD
12:00pm
Lunch (Exhibit Visits)
1:00pm
TAD Talks – Transplant & Donation Topics
- eGRF Modification Policy - Briana Marcantonio, MHA
- The DOVE Program – Marie Morgievich, MS, APN.C, CCTC
- Virtual Crossmatching – Casey Warren, RN, BSN, CCTC
- NJSN Updates in Monthly Specimen Protocol – Christina Psathas
2:00pm
Helping Patients Find a Living Donor: Strategies for Patient Advocacy & Support
- Donna Walton, RN
2:45pm
Break
3:00pm
Breakout Sessions (Choose One)
Nurses & PCTs
Patient Care in the Immediate Post-Transplant Period
- Cassidy Martin, DNP, APN-C, CDCES, CCTC
- Lisa Avery, MSN, APN-C
Social Workers
Psychosocial Issues in Transplant & Living Donation- Complex Case Studies
- Lauryn Weinshank, MSW, LSW
- Adriane Shaw, MSW, LSW
- Marie Gerace, MSW, LCSW
- Rachel Alcada, MSW, LSW
Dietitians
Transplant Nutrition
- Meiting Huang, MS, RD, CDCES
- Prianna Chiu, MS, RD, CDN, CCTD
4:00pm
Evaluation & Certification
4:15pm
Program Ends
Certification
Upon successful completion of the symposium, all participating RNs and social workers will be certified as Transplant Surgeon Designees according to the guidelines established by The Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center.
Registration Information
Registration Deadline: March 13, 2025
Fee: $100 includes continental breakfast, lunch, transplant certification and contact hours.
Contact Hours
Nursing Contact Hours: CBMC is an approved provider of nursing continuing professional development by the New Jersey State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission On Accreditation. Provider Number: P151-1/21-24.
Contact hours will be provided. Accredited status does not imply endorsement by CBMC Department of Nursing Education & Research, NJSNA, or ANCC Commission on Accreditation of any commercial products displayed in conjunction with this program. There is no commercial or non-commercial support provided for this program. All speakers and planners have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Speakers are required to present balanced and unbiased presentations.
Social Work Contact Hours: For information about contact hours for social workers please contact Christina Psathas at christina.psathas@rwjbh.org or Shelly Morningstar at shelly.morningstar@rwjbh.org.
Dietitian Contact Hours: This activity has been submitted to the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for approval to award contact hours to dietitians.
Patient Care Technician Contact Hours: This activity has been submitted to NANT, National Association of Nephrology Technicians/Technologists for approval to award contact hours to patient care technicians.
Event Inquiries
Shelly Morningstar, Transplant Outreach Coordinator
973-322-8988/shelly.morningstar@rwjbh.org
Christina Psathas, Manager, Business Development & Outreach
973-322-2285/christina.psathas@rwjbh.org
Faculty & Planning Committee
Francis L. Weng, MD, MSCE
Chief, Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division
Marie Morgievich, MS, APN.C, CCTC
Assistant VP, Transplant Clinical Services
Andrea Tietjen, MBA, CPA
Assistant VP, Transplant Administrative Services
Christina Psathas, MA
Manager, Business Development & Outreach
Shelly Morningstar, BA
Transplant Outreach Coordinator
Jami Abes, RN, BSN, CCTC
Transplant Coordinator
Rachel Alcada, MSW, LSW
Transplant Social Worker
Mayda Alvarez, RN, BSN, CCTC
Transplant Coordinator
Lisa Avery, MSN, APN-C
Transplant Nurse Practitioner, Inpatient Transplant Clinical Services
Mary Bringas, MSW, LCSW
Transplant Social Worker
Prianna Chiu, MS, RD, CDN, CCTD
Transplant Dietitian
Erin Forman, LCSW, CCTSW
Transplant Social Worker
Marie Gerace, MSW, LCSW
Transplant Social Worker
Matthew Hanlon, MD
Transplant Surgeon
Meiting Huang, MS, RD, CDCES
Transplant Clinical Dietician & Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Briana Marcantonio, MHA
Quality Coordinator
Cassidy Martin, DNP, APN-C, CDCES, CCTC
Transplant Nurse Practitioner, Inpatient Transplant Clinical Services
Adriane Shaw, MSW, LSW
Independent Living Donor Advocate & Living Donor Social Worker
Donna Walton, RN
Supervisor, Living Donor Institute & KPD Coordinator
Lauryn Weinshank, MSW, LSW
Manager, Transplant Psychosocial Services