Our learning series explains to transplant team professionals the basics of immunology and histocompatibility. Understanding these primary concepts makes it easier for you to talk with patients and their families about organ compatibility.
UNOS worked with experts from the American Foundation for Donation and Transplantation (AFDT), American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI), the Organization for Transplant Professions (NATCO), and the International Transplant Nurses Society (ITNS) to create our 101 training series.
You can find the series on UNOS Connect. Once you are logged on, select Learning Series from the main menu, then select Histocompatibility Basics. You can also find the individual courses by selecting the histo category from within the course catalog. Each video is particularly useful for both new and experienced coordinators and nurses who work in transplant but have a limited understanding of how histocompatibility issues relate to their jobs. These individuals will be able to earn CEPTC credits for each educational offering they complete.
Coming soon:
From Knowledge to Practice (coming in Oct.)
Learn how to apply your basic histocompatibility knowledge to coordinate patient care and education throughout the transplant process.
Recorded lecture (coming in Oct.)
Listen to former Histocompatibility Committee Chair Bob Bray give a presentation to UNOS staff. He discusses the foundation of histocompatibility in transplantation and how HLA has had an impact on organ transplantation.
Interactive quiz module (coming in Oct.)
Play a fun, short game that allows you to apply what you’ve learned about HLA.
Instructional offerings currently available:
All about HLA Antibodies
Understanding a patient’s HLA antibody status is important to ensure a safe transplant and help you guide your patient’s post-transplant care. This course discusses the basics of HLA antibodies, the differences for each type of organ transplanted, and how they can impact short term and long term organ survival.
HLA Typing: Are you my type?
HLA proteins that are matched between donor and organ recipient can reduce rejection risk and improve organ survival. Thus, identifying donor-recipient combinations with better HLA matches is important. This module shows you the methods HLA laboratories use to HLA type transplant patients and donors.
Let’s Talk HLA
When an organ donor’s human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are different from the recipient’s, the recipient’s immune system can recognize the donor’s organ as a foreign invader. This offering discusses the role of HLA in the discrimination of “self” versus “non-self” and how components of the histocompatibility system can set organ rejection in motion.
Predicting the Future by Virtual Crossmatch.
Learn about the history of crossmatching, what it’s used for, and how virtual crossmatching can be an effective tool in organ transplantation.
The Basics of Immunology
Learn the foundation of how the body recognizes “self” versus “non-self” to defend against invaders.
Future offerings:
- Histocompatibility tests
- How does HLA impact my job role?
- How do I talk about HLA with my patients?
