HCSS Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) specialist/RRT

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)•Galveston, TX

62d•Onsite

About The Position

The ECMO Specialist (ES) is a licensed allied health care professional with a strong clinical background in neonatal, pediatric and/or adult critical care and advanced cardiopulmonary support. The ES has ≥ 2 years ICU experience or completion of an accredited cardiovascular perfusion training program. The ES is responsible for the coordination of clinical care for patients requiring the support of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) & mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices under the direction & supervision of credentialed ECMO and advanced heart failure physicians. The ES has successfully completed advanced training to operate ECLS & MCS devices, in accordance with guidelines established by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) & the American Society of ExtraCorporeal Technology (AmSECT). The ES adheres to the policies, guidelines & best practices set forth by the director, manager & coordinator of the ECMO department. The ES plays a key role in device management, patient monitoring, emergency response, and quality improvement initiatives. The ECMO Specialist (ES) is a competent technical specialist, preceptor & ECMO primer. The ES is a proficient clinician in two high acuity clinical environments where care of an ECLS or MCS patient is provided (2 ICU's or Any ICU + OR, CVL, Transport etc.) & in two patient populations (Adult, Pediatric &/or Neonatal). The required experience to qualify as an ES is ≥ 2 years’ experience as an ES; or completion of an accredited program in cardiovascular perfusion, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant or medical school. Completed the annually required ELSO & AmSECT based didactic education, hands on drills, simulations & passed annual competency examination(s) for an ES. Completed clinical ECMO orientations in two patient populations (Adult, Pediatric &/or Neonatal).

Requirements

Licensed as Respiratory Care Practitioner AND RRT Credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care OR Registered Nurse license in the state of Texas OR Certified Clinical Perfusionist (CCP) as recognized by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP) AND State of Texas Licensure as a Licensed Perfusionist
Graduate of a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredited School for Respiratory Care OR Degree in Nursing OR Graduate of Perfusion Program
Two (2) years of experience as an ECMO Specialist (ECMO Primer) & maintains active competencies to prime and initiate ECMO
Must have current ACLS, BLS, and PALS obtained through American Heart Association (AHA)
ECMO Specialist Certification through ELSO or Am SECT. ELSO’s Adult (E-AEC) or Neonatal/Pediatric (E-NPEC) OR AmSECT’s Adult (CES-A) or Pediatric (CES-P)
Satisfactory maintenance of clinical competencies for level of position: Attendance to regular clinical simulations & hands on emergency drills.
Satisfactory completion of the annual ECMO didactic program, satisfactory score of 90 %25 and above on annual ECMO exam
Satisfactory completion of required special procedure classes
Knowledge regarding quality improvement and standards of care within practice area
Experience teaching patients and families
Excellent communication skills
Knowledge of and ability to evaluate and assess arterial blood gas measurements.
Ability to respond to emergent or stressful situations appropriately, calmly, and in a timely manner
Will respond to ECMO activation within 45-60 minutes
Will give 1-2 on call shifts per month, will not sign up for regular shifts on other units in conjunction with call shifts unless notice is given to ECMO Coordinator/Manager with approval.

Nice To Haves

Preferred Baccalaureate degree and certification in care specific area
Bachelor’s Degree or higher in allied health or healthcare related discipline

Responsibilities

Participates in monthly interdisciplinary ECMO case reviews and in-services to share information and determine appropriateness of patient care plans.
Supports ECMO team research through the collection of ECMO-related data, preparation, and presentation of research abstracts and/or other documentation.
Utilizes the ECMO flow sheet to maintain ongoing complete and detailed documentation of patient history and the amount of blood and other fluids administered and any complications that may occur.
Provides family/parental education and reinforces medical counseling initiated by the ECMO physician.
Provides a clear and concise end of shift report for the oncoming ECMO Specialist regarding machine settings, patient status, and patient care plans.
Collaborates with multidisciplinary physician teams to identify patients indicated for ECLS or MCS therapies and guides care team to adhere to indications and contraindications as found in hospital guidelines and policies.
Coordinates & collaborates with multidisciplinary care team to prepare patient and environment for the timely and safe initiation of ECLS or MCS support.
Assess and manage patient clinical needs, including but not limited to patient assessment, hemodynamic monitoring, NIRS, blood gas interpretation, laboratory results, fluid balance, nutrition, respiratory support, neurologic status, infection control, sedation, pain management, hematology, and cardiac function.
Collaborates with the ECMO physician and other health care providers involved in the management of the patient to coordinate all tests and evaluations (e.g. head and cardiac ultrasounds and EEGs) and provide care in accordance with the patient’s individualized care plan. Recommends modifications in patient management to the ECMO physician based on the relationship between patient diagnosis and ECMO circuit and/or lab parameters.
Coordinates with care team to ensure safe execution and delivery of diagnostic testing such as x-ray, ultrasound, echocardiography, EEG including safe and timely transportation to CT, cath lab or operating room. Evaluates chest x-rays for endotracheal tube, ECMO cannula, or MCS device position & placement.
Assist the physician during insertion of extracorporeal VAD devices; manage and troubleshoot equipment issues such as pump failures or circuit occlusions; monitor and optimize patient hemodynamics (e.g., flow rates, pressure support) and anticoagulation strategies to prevent thrombosis or bleeding; coordinate discontinuation and removal processes, ensuring safe weaning and device explanation.
Assist the physician during percutaneous insertion; manage and troubleshoot device-specific issues like position migration or suction events; assess patient hemodynamics and anticoagulation protocols; oversee discontinuation, including safe removal and post-removal monitoring.
Assist the physician & VAD coordinator during surgical implantation; manage and troubleshoot equipment such as driveline issues or pump thrombosis; evaluate and fine-tune patient hemodynamics and long-term anticoagulation strategies; facilitate discontinuation through explanation or transition to other therapies, following the guidance of the VAD coordinator.
Prepare and prime ECLS circuits, including pumps, oxygenators, heat exchangers, shunt lines and associated components, ensuring sterility and functionality prior to patient connection.
Safely blood primes ECMO circuits for patients as indicated by department guidelines, policies or as requested by cannulating ECMO physician. Maintains competency in strategies to anticoagulate, buffer, reverse citrate, wash, & hemoconcentrate blood components added to the circuit. Will evaluate circuit gasses and
Continuously monitor and maintain ECMO circuit integrity, including adjusting blood flow rates, monitoring pressure gradients, to prevent complications like hemolysis or clot formation.
Using in-line tools and blood gas analyses to calculate metrics such as oxygen consumption (VO2), oxygen delivery (DO2), oxygen transfer rate, recirculation & sweep gas adjustment rate.
Identify and resolve issues such as circuit leaks, component failures, or suboptimal performance, including elective or emergent component changes when indicated.
Monitor and adjust anticoagulation levels to balance the risk of circuit thrombosis and patient hemostasis.
Follow guidelines for gradual weaning, assessing patient readiness, and assisting in safe decannulation procedures.
Participate in daily rounds, case reviews, and ECMO transport (in-hospital or inter-facility), ensuring secure patient handling and circuit integrity.
Contribute to staff training, continuingeducation, critical incident reviews, and tracking performance indicators (e.g., bleeding events), supporting ECMO program’s quality improvement initiatives.
Assist in setup of continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHD) or hemodialysis devices integrated into the ECMO circuit; monitor therapy parameters including dialysate flow, ultrafiltration rates, electrolyte balance, and fluid removal; manage ongoing therapy by adjusting settings for optimal clearance and patient stability; troubleshoot issues such as filter clotting, pressure alarms, or access problems, following hospital guidelines for renal replacement therapy in ECMO patients.
Implement slow continuous ultrafiltration (SCUF) within the ECMO circuit for fluid removal; monitor ultrafiltration volumes, patient hemodynamics, and electrolyte shifts; manage and troubleshoot technique-specific issues like inadequate fluid extraction or circuit pressures, per ELSO recommendations for fluid overload management.
Apply zero-balanced ultrafiltration (ZBUF) in the ECMO circuit to achieve iso-volumic fluid removal while maintaining balance; monitor replacement fluid administration, ultrafiltrate output, and patient volume status; troubleshoot imbalances or circuit complications, aligned with ELSO guidelines for acute kidney injury and fluid management.
Utilize countercurrent hemodialysis integrated into the ECMO circuit for solute clearance and fluid control; monitor dialysate and blood flow directions, clearance efficiency, and patient responses; manage and troubleshoot diffusion gradients, membrane fouling, or hemodynamic instability, following ELSO protocols for combined ECMO and renal support.
Integrate cytokine adsorbers into the ECMO circuit for removal of cytokines, endotoxins, and inflammatory markers in conditions like sepsis or ARDS; monitor adsorption efficiency, cartridge performance, and patient inflammatory biomarkers; manage and troubleshoot adsorber saturation or circuit integration issues, based on supportive literature and ELSO-aligned practices for immunomodulation in ECMO.
Administer patient-required medications directly into the ECMO circuit, accounting for circuit sequestration and pharmacokinetic alterations; this includes, but is not limited to, vasoactive drip titration (e.g., adjusting norepinephrine or vasopressin doses for hemodynamic stability), sedatives, analgesics, antibiotics, and other supportive agents; monitor drug levels and effects, troubleshooting suboptimal responses or interactions per ELSO and AmSECT guidelines.
Administer blood products (e.g., packed red blood cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate) via the ECMO circuit to maintain target hemoglobin, platelet counts), and coagulation factors; monitor transfusion effects on circuit function and patient hematology; troubleshoot transfusion-related complications like hemolysis or clotting
Evaluate clot formation through staging (e.g., visual inspection, pressure monitoring), triage severity, and recommend anticoagulation adjustments to mitigate risks of major patient events such as embolism or circuit failure, following ELSO and AmSECT guidelines for thrombosis prevention and management.
Manage ECMO system flow, including alarm triage, interpretation, and troubleshooting to resolve deviations greater than 10%25 from physician-ordered goals while ensuring stable hemodynamics
Interpret and troubleshoot ECMO system alarms, triaging the need for planned or emergency component and system replacement strategies for all hospital-owned devices used in extracorporeal life support or mechanical circulatory support, aligning with AmSECT standards for perfusion safety and ELSO circuit guidelines.
Address alarms from any device connected to the ECMO circuit, triaging the need for replacement and coordinating with the allied health care team to replace equipment in a safe and timely manner, per AmSECT and ELSO recommendations for equipment management and patient safety.
Respond to ECMO circuit power or equipment failures by activating backup systems and hand-cranking if necessary, ensuring minimal interruption of continuous therapy.
Detect and eliminate air bubbles in the circuit using bubble detectors and de-airing techniques.
Stabilize and reposition dislodged cannulas, coordinating with the team for immediate surgical intervention while maintaining patency of functioning cannula.
Manage acute bleeding or hypotensive episodes by adjusting flow rates, administering fluids or blood products, and optimizing anticoagulation strategies.
Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team to stabilize hemodynamics of the patient and adjust ACLS & PALS algorithm to augment the support capabilities of the current ECLS or MCS strategy.
Triage the need for planned or emergent circuit exchange and coordinate with the allied health care team safely complete a full circuit exchange
Rapidly triage and differentiate blood pump failures (clotted cone, decoupling) and address the failed and address blood pump failures by replacing the failed blood pump
Respond to circuit tubing fractures or ruptures by clamping affected sections, replacing tubing, and restoring circuit integrity to prevent blood loss or air entry, following ELSO circuit management and AmSEC safety standards.
Detect and correct circuit tubing kinks or occlusions by repositioning tubing or replacing segments, restoring optimal flow, as per ELSO bedside troubleshooting and AmSECT perfusion guidelines.
Manage oxygenator failure by monitoring gas exchange metrics (e.g., rising pressure drops or poor oxygenation), triaging for immediate replacement, and executing change-out procedures to maintain support, aligned with ELSO circuit guidelines and AmSECT standards.
Address heat exchanger failure by assessing temperature control issues, isolating the component, and replacing it to prevent thermal dysregulation, following ELSO and AmSECT equipment management protocols.
Triage blood path circuit component failures (e.g., filters, connectors), determining emergency versus planned replacement strategies, and performing replacements to sustain circuit function, per ELSO and AmSECT guidelines.
Respond to failures in connected equipment (e.g., monitors, heaters) by isolating the issue, activating backups, and coordinating repairs or replacements, ensuring patient safety as outlined in ELSO and AmSECT standards.
Apply emergency clot removal techniques when flow through cannulas, pump, or oxygenator is compromised. Whether through aspiration, component replacement, or emergent surgical intervention.
Manage cannula dislodgment, malpositioning, or flow impedance by using techniques to identify the failing cannula, isolate if necessary and preserve patency of the remaining functional cannula. Coordinating patient stabilization, positioning and/or emergent surgical intervention.
Triage the need for emergency hand cranking, coordinating with the allied health care team to maintain goal-directed flow, and replacing failed motor, cables, or ECMO system components, ensuring minimal interruption of support.