Perfusionist

Job Description

Job Summary:

• Under direction of the attending physician, the Principal Perfusionist provides routine and specialized patient care services requiring extracorporeal circulation and/or oxygenation.
• The Principal Perfusionist provides advanced perfusion techniques for myocardial and/or organ protection and preservation, blood component and drug/fluid administration and blood conservation/concentration.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides independent patient care and perfusion services during on-call response for routine and specialized emergency extracorporeal support as indicated.
• Provides emergency circulation/oxygenation circuitry (DHCA/RCP) and team support during a cardiac or respiratory arrest.
• Effectively communicates with the multidisciplinary team involved with direct patient care.
• Precepts new staff members and updates patient care protocols and department specific policies and procedures as needed.
• Independently provides support functions to departmental operations such as maintaining par levels, stocking and controlling inventory, and equipment maintenance.
• Maintains and rotates sterile stock, checking for expired items.
• Handles returns of defective supplies; works with Biomedical Engineering to provide equipment maintenance; and maintains equipment inventory of a variety of specialized perfusion services.
• Operates pumps, devices and circuitry providing long term extracorporeal circulation and/or oxygenation of infant, pediatric and adult patients including intra-aortic balloon support, single and double ventricular assist support and/or extracorporeal oxygenation.
• Assists with assembly of special extracorporeal circuits, devices, or components providing circulation and/or oxygenation for long-term assist.
• Provides knowledge of specific patient care protocols for long term assist devices such as ventricular assist (VAS) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) which may include specific requirements for adequate coagulation profiles, special oxygenators, special tubing, and monitoring procedures.
• Communicates directly and continuously with physician and nursing staff regarding patient care considerations, which influence the operation and safety of long-term extracorporeal support devices.
• Initiates, operates and independently manages extracorporeal devices for routine and specialized cardiac procedures, other organ preservation procedures and protocols for transplant. Independently determines proper equipment for procedures, assembling equipment as appropriate while providing circulation and/or oxygenation for long-term assist.
• Advises surgeon in determining the appropriate pump, catheter, cannula, circuitry and oxygenating device for a special care requirement for a non-routine nature.
• Adequately monitors patient electrolytes during fluid balance/removal and treats appropriately.
• Determines proper blood/fluid regime; identifies routine and abnormal patient monitoring and recording of hemodynamic parameters before, during and after perfusion supported procedures; and interprets hemodynamic and physiological signs and symptoms presented by each patient.
• Ensures accurate collection or tabulation of clinical protocols, quality management data and research projects for clinical implementation.
• Performs individual data collection regarding routine and special perfusion procedures.
• Assists with clinical competency summary reports for compliance; implements detailed preventative maintenance programs for routine equipment and supplies/devices to ensure continuous and safe quality care; and provides routine and advanced perfusion services associated with detailed patient data collection and assist in analysis of collected data by physician staff.
• Administers cardioplegia solutions to provide myocardial protection during the operation of the heart-lung machine under the direction of the surgeon.
• Communicates directly and continuously with the surgeon and medical staff; operates hemoconcentration devices; provides safe and adequate provisions utilizing hypothermia, deep hypothermic arrest, and retro perfusion of a patient’s circulation during cardiac surgical procedures; and effectively assesses patient’s hemodynamic stability as required.

Licenses/Certification:

• Certified Cardiac Perfusionist Required.
• Basic Life Support Required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Required/Preferred
• Understanding of applicable regulatory requirements Preferred.
• Knowledge, skills, and ability to operate all routine equipment, special devices, monitors. Required
• Knowledge of sterile and perfusion supplies including extracorporeal oxygenators, tubing circuits, and cannula for adult, pediatric and infants. Required
• Knowledge of blood components, plasma composition of the human body and use of blood products in association of support by extracorporeal circuits and devices. Required
• Four years of demonstrated experience working as a perfusionist, preferably in a level one trauma center Required.
  Advanced knowledge of human anatomy, disease processes, physiology, and biochemistry.
• Advanced knowledge of arteries, veins, organs and specific paths of blood flow throughout the body, of pressures and gas exchange within the body for all patient populations. Required
• Ability to work variable shifts including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays Required.
• Ability to read, write and communicate effectively in English Required.
• Ability to maintain flexibility and work well in a fast paced, constantly changing environment Required.
• Ability to learn and apply TJC, CDC, and AABB standards and protocols that apply to operating room procedures and departmental policies and protocols.
• Knowledge of sterile techniques in the delivery of patient care. Required
• Ability to independently initiate bypass for adult, pediatric and neonatal patient population. Required
• Ability to follow orders, take directions, and implement written perfusion protocols.
• Utilize formula and applied mathematics in associated application of perfusion protocols.