Senior ECMO Specialist - Galveston (Days)
About The Position
The Senior ECMO Specialist provides advanced clinical care for adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients receiving extracorporeal life support (ECLS) and mechanical circulatory support (MCS). The role serves as a lead clinical resource and preceptor for ECMO Specialists and supports staffing, education, quality improvement, data collection, and program operations. The Senior ECMO Specialist assists the ECMO Program Manager with implementation of program standards. This is a working clinical role without formal responsibility for employee performance management. The position provides direct ECMO care, manages complex or high-risk cases within established protocols and scope of practice, prepares and supports ECLS and MCS procedures, and leads troubleshooting and emergency response. It also provides shift-level clinical guidance, precepts and mentors staff, supports program coordination and equipment readiness, and participates in quality assurance and evidence-based practice activities.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from a CoARC-accredited School for Respiratory Therapy or equivalent and 10 years of directly related critical care experience in adult, neonatal, and/or pediatric care, including at least 3 years of ECMO experience; OR bachelor's degree in Nursing or equivalent and 7 years of directly related critical care experience in adult, neonatal, and/or pediatric care, including at least 3 years of ECMO experience.
- Demonstrated experience serving as an ECMO preceptor, educator, primer, or advanced clinical resource.
- Current Registered Nurse license or valid permit to practice in Texas or a compact state, or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
- Current Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications.
- National ECMO certification at hire or within 24 months of placement in the role.
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree in nursing, respiratory therapy, healthcare administration, or a related field.
- Experience supporting ECMO quality improvement, program data, simulation, education, scheduling, or supply/equipment operations.
- Experience across multiple ECMO patient populations or care environments.
- Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS), Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty (NPS), CCRN, or other applicable specialty certification.
Responsibilities
- Provide direct ECMO care and independently manage complex or high-risk cases within established protocols and scope of practice.
- Prime and prepare ECLS and MCS circuits and devices, including blood priming when indicated; support cannulation, initiation, transport, component exchange, ultrafiltration and hemodialysis, weaning, and decannulation procedures.
- Lead and coordinate inter-facility and intra-facility ECLS and MCS transport, maintaining safe patient handling, circuit integrity, equipment functionality, and ordered ECMO flows.
- Assess patient condition, circuit performance, hemodynamics, laboratory results, anticoagulation, oxygenator function, pump flow, and sweep; implement and evaluate interventions consistent with protocols and provider orders.
- Lead troubleshooting and emergency response for ECMO-related complications and escalate concerns to the ECMO physician and Program Manager as appropriate.
- Participate in clinical call and staffing rotations and provide advanced support across assigned patient populations and care environments.
- Serve as shift-level lead and clinical resource for ECMO Specialists, bedside nurses, respiratory therapists, and the interdisciplinary care team.
- Precept and mentor ECMO Specialists; validate assigned competencies and provide real-time coaching and feedback in collaboration with the ECMO Program Manager.
- Assist with orientation, simulation, annual competency review, continuing education, and remediation plans.
- Promote adherence to protocols, documentation standards, safety practices, and escalation expectations.
- Provide operational direction during assigned shifts or cases without conducting formal performance evaluations or corrective action.
- Assist the ECMO Program Manager with daily staffing coordination, call coverage, workload balancing, and unplanned coverage needs.
- Support equipment and supply readiness, inventory monitoring, product evaluation, and communication of supply or equipment concerns.
- Assist with program records, competency documentation, case reviews, and data collection for internal and external reporting.
- Liaise among clinical teams to support timely communication and coordinated ECMO care.
- Provide coverage for defined operational responsibilities when delegated by the ECMO Program Manager.
- Participate in case reviews, audits, quality assurance activities, and development or refinement of clinical workflows.
- Identify trends, safety concerns, and improvement opportunities and recommend actions to the ECMO Program Manager and medical leadership.
- Assist with implementation of approved policies, procedures, protocols, and evidence-based practices.
- Participate in program education, unit governance, evidence-based practice initiatives, and dissemination of learning within the ECMO team.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
