Makayla Ramirez, RN, BSN, Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator
What’s the best thing about working at Seattle Children’s?
Knowing you are making a difference. Helping a child and family through possibly the most difficult time in their lives. It is such an honor.
What do you like most about the work you do in the Transplant Center?
There are definitely two distinct things that come to mind. First, I really enjoy our team: supervisors, surgeons, nephrologists, hepatologists, social workers, nurses and nurse practitioners, dieticians and our amazing transplant specialists, as well as so many other phenomenal support staff throughout the hospital. There are many different personalities, varying perspectives and incredible expertise, and we all come together to sort out what is best for each individual child and their family. Second, I love the continuity of my job: meeting the families pre-transplant, having the opportunity to call families when an organ offer is available and becoming their key contact person at the time of transplant for years after. There is so much continuity; we really have an opportunity to get to know each child and the family, and watch them grow and thrive. It is truly an amazing thing to be a part of.
What makes Children’s Transplant Center unique?
This program is always evolving. We are always trying to improve the way we do things by using new immunosuppression techniques, doing ABO-incompatible transplants, streamlining policies/procedures, really taking into account family feedback and reworking our system to provide better patient/family experiences.
What made you want to come to Children’s?
I wanted to do pediatrics … where else would I go? Children’s has an amazing mission, and they stand behind it.
What do people say when they find out you work here?
People are always so impressed. They wonder how I can do it (see question 2), and then usually they have a connection to the hospital that I am happy to hear. Everyone has something positive to say, which confirms that I am working exactly where I should be.