Jaclyn (“Jackie”) Russe is Lifesharing’s “Nurse of the Year” and UC San Diego Health’s Nurse Consultant award winner. The accolades were announced during Nurses Week, which runs from May 6 – 12, 2022. In her position as a Lifesharing organ procurement coordinator, Jackie travels to hospitals throughout San Diego and Imperial counties. When a patient’s life cannot be saved, it’s Jackie’s job to try and save their organs. She uses her critical care skills to keep organs viable for transplant, while she searches for the best recipient match on the transplant waiting list. Jackie has saved countless lives by finding new homes for donated organs such as hearts, lungs, kidneys and livers. Jackie builds strong bonds with the families of our organ donor heroes — and she works tirelessly to ensure their loved ones live on through donation. Every year, Jackie honors our donors during Día de los Muertos.

Jackie has also made numerous clinical contributions to Lifesharing, which have helped us set back-to-back records for organ donations over the last several years. She spearheaded a project which increased the number of liver transplants by 22% and she is currently studying ways to increase heart donations, too. Because when you increase the number of organs that are donated — you increase the number of lives that can be saved.

On a personal note, Jackie is a mother of four and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. She served in Afghanistan, tending to wounded warriors on the battlefield. Jackie was motivated to enlist after witnessing the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 — and the story of her deployment was recently featured on ABC 10News on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Jackie continues to embody the core values of the Navy: honor, courage and commitment. We are incredibly proud to call her a Lifesharing nurse.

Honoring our Organ and Tissue Donors for Día de Muertos

10 News Report: Lifesharing Nurse and Navy vet Jaclyn Russe on How 9/11 Changed Her Life