General Description:

Under the direction of the Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Cardiothoracic Attending Surgeons and the Chief Perfusionist of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Clinical Cardiovascular Perfusionist is responsible for conducting extracorporeal circulation and ensuring the safe management of cardiorespiratory functions during any medical situation where it is necessary to support or replace the patients cardiopulmonary/circulation functions. Responsible for monitoring the necessary physiologic variables during cardiopulmonary bypass; administering blood byproducts; administering anesthetic agents and drugs through extracorporeal circuit, maintaining accurate records; following established protocols in accordance with hospital policy and directives from attending surgeons.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Prepares patient and equipment for extracorporeal support. 
• Reviews the patient’s medical record, documents and all appropriate medical and laboratory information. This includes but is not limited to diagnosis, planned surgical procedure, current drug therapy, allergies, renal, hepatic, metabolic and coagulation data. 
• Evaluates and prepares equipment for bypass. Ensures sterile assembly, degassing and priming of all cardiopulmonary bypass components. This includes, but is not limited, to the appropriate reservoir, filters, tubing, heat exchangers, oxygenator, cardioplegia delivery system, temperature monitoring equipment and heater-cooler. 
• Assembles the intraoperative cell saver autotransfusion equipment. Understands autotransfusion (cell saver) technology and how to integrate it with the perfusion circuit. 
• Oversees all aspects of the safe operation and monitoring of the bypass and cardioplegia delivery system. Must recognize, interpret and manage changes during perfusion. 
• Calculates and coordinates bypass flow rates and pressures for optimum perfusion. 
• Orders and interprets blood chemistry tests. Controls oxygen and gas flows to maintain optimal oxygenation and ventilation. 
• Determines and maintains adequate heparinization during the procedures and calculates adequate heparin reversal at the termination of the bypass. 
• Performs administration of Blood Products per Hospital Policy. 
• Set-ups and analyzes Cerebral Oximetry per Perfusion Department policy. 
• Operates Transmyocardial Laser machine, including pre-use testing, perioperative set-up, use and disassembles per Cardiac Surgery Attending. 
• Maintains Point of Care equipment in working order to ensure reliability of tests according to departmental practices and procedures per Hospital Point of Care Policies.
• Regulates and controls body temperature per Attending Surgeon orders. 
• Administers appropriate drugs per Attending Surgeon and Anesthesiologist orders. 
• Administers pharmacologic agents necessary to maintain electrolyte balance and renal function per orders of Attending Surgeons and Anesthesiologist. 
• Determines appropriate fluid replacement, including crystalloid and colloid, based on hematocrit, blood loss, pump volume, and urine output. 
• Operates, with assistance, automatic autotransfusion equipment for the sterile collection and processing of shed blood. Maintains a complete record of the perfusion and autotransfusion processing. 
• Performs various techniques of myocardial protection under the direct supervision of the Attending Surgeons. 
• Performs other procedures related to intraoperative activities involving extracorporeal assist or circulation. 
• Performs intra-aortic Balloon Pump, including insertion, console set-up, augmentation, timing, transportation, and troubleshooting. 
• Assembles and correctly operates a hemoconcentration system during perfusion. 
• Understands and is able to operate with assistance specialized perfusion circuits including: ascending arch aneurysms, left ventricular bypass, total circulatory arrest, femoral vein-femoral artery bypass, and percutaneous bypass. 
• Operates limb perfusion device in conjunction with Surgical Oncology Service. 
• Operates LVAD, ECMO and other long term cardiopulmonary support equipment which requires 24 hour in-house coverage for long periods of time.
• Assists in maintaining perfusion equipment in operating condition. This includes the checking and adjusting of pump head occlusions and pump outputs. Has a thorough operating knowledge of the equipment. Keeps equipment in working order to ensure reliability of tests according to departmental practices and procedures. 
• Dismantles and disposes of all non-reusable equipment after surgery. Cleans and stores all durable equipment and hardware. Orders and stocks all pump related equipment and supplies. 
• Participates in special studies, ensuring data collection and verification as required, in accordance with protocol. 
• Participates in laboratory studies, utilizing expertise to perform animal studies as required, in accordance with protocol. 
• Attends mandatory in-service educational meetings according to departmental and hospital policy.
• Attends departmental, institutional and external meetings to ensure professional standards. Reads appropriate professional journals to maintain and enhance skills and clinical competencies. Makes presentations to other in-service programs within hospital, as required. 
• Supervises students in perfusion training programs, as required. 
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide save appropriate to the age groups of adult and geriatric patients regularly served.
• Notifies supervisor when patients in age groups not regularly served are present, and seeks assistance from individuals with the knowledge of the specialized needs of such patient age groups. 
• Utilizes hospitals behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to support the hospitals mission and goals. 
• Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures

General Responsibilities:

The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:  Requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree. Must have graduated from, or be currently enrolled in, an accredited Perfusion Education program, and anticipating graduation prior to hire date.  Degree requirement may be waived for applicants who were admitted to the examination process before April 15, 1981, or have been previously certified by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP).

Experience:  Cardiovascular Perfusionist experience in a fast-paced academic hospital is preferred. 

License(s)/Certification(s)/Registration(s) Required: Certification in Cardiovascular Perfusion by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion or eligible to take the examination for certification. Current license issued by the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision as a Perfusionist. Out-of-state licensed perfusionists must obtain state licensure within 90 days of employment. Current Basic Life Support issued by the American Heart Association required upon hire.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Basic knowledge of Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology, Chemistry, Pathology and Mathematics.  
Work requires knowledge of perfusion equipment and its operation; basic knowledge of the circuitry and operation of ventricular assist devices and of clinical physiology necessary to conduct the best possible perfusion for any given patient.  
Must have the ability to exercise appropriate judgment to respond immediately to unexpected events, especially in crisis situations when preparation time is a factor in successful treatment. 
Excellent interpersonal skills necessary to work smoothly and effectively as a member of a close functioning team; and to interact effectively with the medical staff, nursing staff and various departments throughout the hospital. 
Ability to use considerable mental and visual strain during procedures when constant attention must be paid to monitoring signals and machine function.