Donation Support Specialist

In alignment with Gift of Life Michigan’s core purpose and core values, the Donation Support Specialist is a determined, compassionate, and skilled professional who honors life through donation. This role often meets and supports families in circumstances of grief while advocating for donation authorization and ensuring all potential donor families receive information about organ and tissue donation.

The following job duties and responsibilities are stated in broad terms and not intended to be inclusive.  Those in bold are essential duties of the position:

• Approach families of potential donors primarily in person and onsite. While also responding to onsite assignments of potential donor referrals.
• Serve as an ambassador and partner with hospital care providers through education and support with the goal of obtaining authorization for organ, tissue, and eye donation.
• Maintain an individual authorization rate, which demonstrates best practice skills in the area of obtaining authorization.
• Complete the authorization process/paperwork with the legal decision maker and educate the family about specifics relevant to each authorization for the family to make an informed decision about donation.
• Work with the legal next of kin, in cases where the potential donor has indicated their decision to be an organ donor by first-person authorization, to honor their loved one’s decision to be a donor.
• Collaborate with the hospital care team to evaluate and understand family dynamics & to overcome any barriers with the objective of being optimally prepared to engage with families as timely as possible to offer donation.
• Collaborate with Gift of Life clinical personnel to coordinate family conversations when response and readiness triggers have been indicated.
• Determine when a referral may require consultation/escalation, seek appropriate assistance, and follow provided guidance.
• Assess donor history by accurately completing a Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI) with family member(s) or other appropriate historian(s).
• Post donation follow-up, as scheduled.
• Adhere to department expectations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Combined total of 7 years’ work experience and education. Work experience should be in a mental health-related field, nursing, a first responder role, pastoral and/or spiritual care, or healthcare.

• Postsecondary Education.
• Prior experience in a healthcare organization, transplant center, or organ/tissue procurement organization.
• Bilingual in Spanish and/or Arabic.

• Written and verbal fluency in English.
• Ability to exercise initiative, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, including Outlook and Teams and other technology systems used in business operations.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple and competing priorities.
• Demonstrate attention to detail.
• Ability to work with families in crisis and to advocate for donation authorization while being respectful of individual family circumstances. 
• Self-directed, exercising appropriate judgment and seeking guidance for extenuating circumstances.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with a diverse public and healthcare population. 
• Ability to manage difficult, sometimes emotional, individuals and situations. 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment. 
• Ability to learn and understand medical terminology. 

• Demonstrate the competencies of Professional, Determined and Compassionate.
• Maintain a motivated and positive attitude.
• Support an inclusive work environment.
• Ability to successfully collaborate and work as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Actively seek improvements.
• Always maintain a safe working environment and use of Universal Precautions.
• Maintain appropriate level of confidentiality in all areas dealing with sensitive, protected, and confidential information.