PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

This ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) role will be responsible for performing day to day coordination and operational oversight of the ECMO program, conduct training, orienting, mentoring staff and measuring competencies. Will develop policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines for ECMO under the direction of an ECMO physician. Ability to operate and maintain ECMO circuits for patients requiring long-term pulmonary and/or cardiopulmonary support and will function as an expert for all ECMO aspects of patient care delivery in collaboration with physicians, surgeons, perfusion and multidisciplinary teams.    

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Participates in identifying learning needs and designing, planning, implementing and effectively incorporating appropriate learning techniques when teaching the educational ECMO program to clinicians which will ensure clinical competency. 
• Coordinates lectures, simulation and wet lab trainings routinely to ensure clinicians maintain competency. 
• Develops ECMO related policies, procedures protocols and guidelines in conjunction with an ECMO physician.
• Assumes responsibility with other members of the ECMO administrative team to coordinate in-house and on-call schedules.
• Serves as the immediate expert or has the ability to consult experts when it comes to the awareness of potential emergencies and prevention of complications and immediate resolution of such.
• Demonstrates a superior working knowledge of ECMO therapy including but not limited to the ECMO circuit and pump, adjustments to pump flow, sweep flow, FdO₂, anticoagulation therapy to maintain parameters within limits set by the physician, point of care testing, patient monitoring systems, and related policies and procedure guidelines.
• Assist the physician, perfusionist and/or other clinical staff members with initiation of ECMO, the course and conduct of ECMO, and the conclusion of ECMO and any related therapies therein including but not limited to circuit or component changes, priming, blood bank communications, medication administration as licensure permits, and hemofiltration as examples.
• Maintains regular effective communication with physicians, hospital and clinical staff, direct supervisors and back-up personnel and/or others as directed, in performing job duties, responsibilities and requirements when problems develop with equipment and/or personnel as established within SpecialtyCare protocols and policies.
• Demonstrates a culture of safety through a hand-off of the ECMO patient covering all aspects of both patient care and the ECMO circuit.
• Completes all required documentation, charting and monitoring according to established protocols.
• Provides a detailed examination of the circuit to ensure its integrity, while written parameters and a plan of care are worked out during rounds.
• Assesses blood gas values, anticoagulation parameters and other laboratory values and work within a prescribed set of parameters and guidelines to maintain the patient in an optimal state of well-being.
• Monitors anticoagulation, analgesics, inotropes and other infusions are titrated, blood products are ordered and given, and the ECMO pump flow and oxygenator gas flow adjusted as needed.
• Assists in data collection for the ELSO database, quality improvement initiatives and research activities related to ECMO.
• Possesses familiarity of ELSO guidelines and protocols.
• Collaborates with other ECMO centers and attends ECMO meetings to keep appraised on ECMO management and new technology.  
• Consistently manages adherence to SpecialtyCare’s clinical quality standards and protocols and all Joint Commission requirements, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Ensures that clinical quality and quality indicators for submitted in CDS.
• Monitors and communicates when inventory and equipment need to be ordered to ensure no shortages occur.
• Performs ECMO clinical coverage and actively participates in the call schedule. 
• Performs as a Perfusionist with ECMO volume is minimal and to maintain certification.
• Live the SpecialtyCare Values – Integrity, Teamwork, Sense of Urgency & Continuous Improvement.
• Other duties as assigned.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Current certification with the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion.

Experience:

• Three (3) to five (5) years of related experience with at least,

• Two (2) years recent experience managing Extracorporeal Life Support in a busy acute care facility.  

Knowledge and Skills:

• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers, employees and organizations.

• Ability to effectively teach ECMO training and orient clinicians to ensure that end users fully understand the functionality of ECMO used during ECMO and can perform all ECMO job related responsibilities.

• Ability to coordinate lectures, wet labs and simulations for clinicians to ensure clinical competency and checklists are completed on a timely basis.

• Ability to speak clearly, write and understand English.

• Ability to understand and carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form.

• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.

• Good verbal and written skills.

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety manuals, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals.

• Ability to deal with problems involving several variables in routine and/or emergency situations.

• Training, knowledge and/or ability to learn essential duties and responsibilities.

• Ability to operate or ability to learn to operate equipment used in performing above job responsibilities.

• Must have the ability to prioritize and work well under pressure.

• Successfully complete a pre-employment drug screen as well as a background check and provide proof of vaccinations and CPR certification.

  
  

  PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

   

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential duties of this job, which may vary by location.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions: 

• While performing the essential duties of this job, the associate is required to stand, walk, sit; use hands to grasp, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch; talk or hear. 

• Hearing must be normal, with or without correction.

• Must be able to lift and/or move, push or pull 50 pounds or more.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.  Vision must be normal with or without correction.

• Must be able to operate a motor vehicle in a safe manner.  

• Associates work in hospitals and the noise level encountered may vary from quiet to loud.

• Associates may be exposed to blood-borne pathogens and hazardous chemicals.

• Ability to work a minimum of eight hours per day and longer according to case/staffing requirements.

• Ability to work when needed and be available to work variable hours and shifts (day, afternoon, evening, weekends, holidays).

• Ability to work in a demanding, fast-paced work environment.

• Reliable, readily available transportation needed at all times to get to work assignments.

• Ability to travel, including overnight travel, when requested and necessary to meet business requirements or attend meetings.

• Able to participate in the medical transport of patient by helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, ambulance and other forms of medical transport.