ECMO Specialist-Respiratory

Position Purpose

The Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Specialist (ES) is responsible for ensuring appropriate patient care through the continuous monitoring and assessment of the ECMO circuit, related technology, and patient status.


Nature and Scope

The Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Specialist is responsible for ensuring appropriate patient care through the continuous monitoring of the ECMO circuit, related technology, and patient status. Through assessment of patient status and the ECMO circuit, the Specialist identifies and corrects problems associated with the ECMO procedure and initiates and evaluates interventions consistent with established protocols. The Specialist consults with the managing ECMO Surgeon and/or Intensivist Physician when patient condition and/or protocol limits or directives are in question. As a member of the ECMO team, this position collaborates closely with other team members and health care providers to provide patient care in accordance with the patient's individualized care plan.


ECMO Specialists are responsible for the proper documentation of all patient records and department logs. In addition, they are responsible for keeping abreast of technological advances in applicable areas and are well versed in appropriate clinical applications. Continuous comprehensive mental effort is required to provide optimal safe patient care, and the same mental effort is required when interacting with internal and external contacts, exercising judgments, and making decisions.

ECMO Specialists are responsible for ensuring a positive patient experience is achieved. This is accomplished through initially making a connection, introducing yourself, explaining the duration of the work being performed, explaining the procedure / task, and thanking the patient when complete (CIDET). Additionally, ECMO Specialists are responsible for service recovery when the patient experience does not go well. This is accomplished by listening with empathy to the concern, apologizing for the experience, solving the problem if able and escalating to leadership if not able, and thanking the patient for providing us with an opportunity to improve their experience (LAST).

This position does provide direct patient care.

Disclaimer

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Minimum Qualifications
Requirements - Required and/or Preferred

Name

Description

Education:

Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English. Bachelor's Degree preferred.


Graduate of a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredited School for Respiratory Care.

Experience:

Minimum 2-years of full-time in the critical care setting, 3 years is preferred.


License(s):

Current Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) required at time of hire.

Ability to obtain and maintain a State of Nevada Board of Medical Examiners RRT Respiratory Care Practitioner License required at time of hire.

State of Nevada Point of Care Analyst license, Director of Point of Care, or General supervisor of Point of Care required within 6 months of hire.

Certification(s):

Current AHA BLS and ACLS certification required at time of hire.


Required within 6 months:
• Satisfactory completion of the internal ECMO training program
• Satisfactory completion of required special procedure classes (e.g. blood
• administration)

Preferred
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
• Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS) certification from the NBRC

Computer / Typing:

Must possess, or be able to obtain within 90 days, the computers skills necessary to complete online learning requirements for job-specific competencies, access online forms and policies, complete online benefits enrollment, etc.