Bone Marrow Transplant |
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Bone Marrow Transplant Team
The UCSF Children's Hospital Blood and Marrow Transplant Program has a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, child life specialists, pharmacists and nutritionists who all work together to provide the best care possible for our patients and their families.
Below are descriptions of the different types of team members. To learn more about the individuals who care for children in the BMT Unit, please visit the Our Experts page.
Doctors
The attending physicians and residents change every two weeks, while the fellows change each month. Therefore, during your child's hospital stay it is likely that you will get to know many members of the medical team.
Other doctors who are specialists in a particular area, such as infectious disease, dermatology (skin) and gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines), may be asked to consult.
Attending Physicians
The attending physicians are full-time members of the pediatric faculty with special training and a special interest in bone marrow transplantation. There are hematologists, or blood specialists, and oncologists, or cancer specialists, as well as immunologists, or experts on the immune system. There are five attending physicians who share overall responsibility for the patients in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.
Residents and Fellows
Residents are doctors who are in the UCSF Pediatric Residency Program and are training to become pediatricians. The residents work with the attending physicians to care for the transplant patients.
Fellows have completed a pediatric residency program and are receiving advanced training to become specialists in immunology, hematology or oncology at UCSF.
Nurses
The nurses in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit are experienced in caring for the special needs of bone marrow transplant patients.
The clinical nurse specialist and nurse coordinator are involved in many aspects of your child's preparation for transplant and treatment in the hospital. This includes:
- Before transplant evaluation and teaching
- Hospitalization and care after transplant
- Outpatient follow-up
The clinical nurse specialist and nurse coordinator work closely with the nursing staff and transplant doctors. The clinical nurse specialist also coordinates the Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Program and the Unrelated Marrow Donor Program.
The primary nurse team is composed of nurses who are identified for each patient. These nurses, along with other members of the health care team, are responsible for planning care for that patient. The primary nurse team and other staff nurses are responsible for direct nursing care on a daily basis.
While members of the primary nurse team often will care for "their" patient, due to staffing requirements and 12 hour shifts, it is impossible for this to occur all of the time. You and your family will get to know many of the nurses in the BMT Unit during your child's hospital stay.
The nurse manager for pediatrics on the seventh floor of the hospital is responsible for all of the nurses in the BMT Unit as well as those in cancer and rehabilitation areas. She is available if there are any concerns or questions that may arise regarding the care of your child.
Support Staff
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Social Workers -- The average hospital stay for a bone marrow transplant patient is two months. The social worker helps families develop strategies to minimize the disruption caused by this extended hospital stay. This includes providing counseling for all family members about coping with the stresses of bone marrow transplantation. The social worker also can provide information regarding lodging, transportation and other community resources that may be helpful.
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Child Life Specialists -- Child Life Specialists help children of all ages cope with hospitalization. They provide activities and projects during the hospital stay and work to normal life in the hospital as much as possible for each child. They offer emotional support and encourage patients to express their feelings through play. A child life specialist will meet with the sibling donor prior to hospitalization in order to help prepare him or her for the hospital stay and the marrow harvest.
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Dieticians -- Since foods need special preparation to minimize bacteria, the dietician monitors and assesses your child's daily diet. Some foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, must be temporarily eliminated from the diet. The nutritionist helps plan the diet in the hospital as well as at home during the early post-transplant period.
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Pharmacist -- Pharmacists assist the health care team in administering and monitoring the effects of the various drugs that are used during and after hospitalization. They also provide teaching and follow-up consultation regarding the patient's discharge medication schedule.
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Teachers -- The teacher coordinates a study program during your child's hospital stay and regularly comes to the transplant room to work in various areas of study. After your child is discharged from the hospital, we recommend home tutoring for at least the first six months after the transplant or until the child can return to school.
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Search Coordinator -- The search coordinator is responsible for coordinating the Unrelated Donor Program searches for both volunteer bone marrow donors and umbilical cord blood units.
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Financial Counselor -- The financial counselor is the contact person for any insurance or financial questions regarding the unrelated donor search and bone marrow transplantation.
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Laboratory Personnel -- Research associates process and prepare bone marrow stem cells for transplantation. There also are Postdoctoral fellows and research faculty who focus on specific research projects that ultimately will advance the field of knowledge about transplantation.
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Other Support Staff -- There are many other professionals who are members of the health care team and who will be involved as needed. They include respiratory therapists, lab technicians, chaplains, psychiatrists and physical therapists.
More Information:
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated February 5, 2008
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or health care provider. We encourage you to discuss with your doctor any questions or concerns you may have.
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