Background: Education for Specialist Nurses in Organ Donation (SNODs), employed by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), has evolved considerably to align with service needs, trainee expectations, and modern educational methodologies. Initially, recruitment into the SNOD role primarily drew from experienced intensive care nurses. Over the last decade, eligibility broadened to include senior nurses from emergency departments, palliative care, and general wards.
Programme Evolution: To support the expanding diversity of recruits, the education team developed a foundational package introducing critical care principles through eLearning and virtual delivery. Recognising the need for a consistent, nationally delivered programme, NHSBT introduced the award-winning Cohort Training in April 2015. While comprehensive, its residential format posed logistical and financial challenges, with potential implications for recruitment.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NHSBT swiftly transitioned to virtual education without compromising training continuity. This adaptation catalysed further innovation, resulting in the 2023 launch of the SNOD Foundation Programme. Designed using a bespoke Learning Management System, the new format marked the first integration of eLearning into SNOD education. This shift not only supported flexibility and inclusivity but also significantly reduced associated costs.
Educational Approach:
The redesigned programme follows a layered, hybrid model incorporating:

• Self-directed eLearning, hosted within an internally developed platform, to build foundational knowledge.
• Facilitated virtual sessions via MS Teams, designed to be inclusive, neurodiversity-focused, and aligned with strategic objectives.
• In-person experiential workshops, enabling the safe practice of essential communication skills, including family approaches, formal consent/ authorisation, and documentation. Low fidelity Simulation-based learning forms a core element of training, supporting accurate donor assessment and procedural skills, including histopathology management and organ packaging.
• The programme culminates in a three-day High Fidelity Simulation-Based Education (SBE) event, during which trainees engage in scenarios covering the donation pathway from referral to theatre retrieval, integrating clinical reasoning and advanced communication with simulated donors including paediatrics.

Conclusion: This evolving educational framework represents a responsive, evidence-informed strategy that ensures newly recruited SNODs are clinically competent, confident, and well-equipped for the complexities of their role. The integration of technology, simulation, and inclusive pedagogy underscores NHSBT’s commitment to sustainable, high-quality professional development.