Graduation from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program (CAAHEP) – approved program.
Bachelor’s degree in science or nursing required.
Professional knowledge of cardiovascular perfusion and interpersonal skills necessary in order to communicate effectively with physician, nursing personnel and other operating room personnel.
Approximately two to three years related work experience conducting clinical perfusions in order to gain advanced knowledge and skills.
Current demonstrated competence and an adequate level of current experience, documenting the ability to provide services at an acceptable level of quality and efficiency.
Documentation of a minimum of 40 cases per year must be provided, with no documented quality issues noted. (Information provided for recertification purposes is acceptable documentation).
Professional liability insurance coverage issued by a recognized company and of a type and in amount equal to or greater than the limited established by the governing board.
Periodic Competence Assessment: Applicants must also be able to demonstrate they have maintained competence based on unbiased, objective results of care according to the hospital’s existing quality assurance mechanism and by showing evidence that they have maintained annual certification by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, with documentation of a minimum of 40 cases per year for the past two years.
Cardiovascular Perfusionist Scope of Practice: Extracorporeal circulation/cardiopulmonary support, counterpulsation, circulatory support/ventricular assistance, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, blood conservation techniques/autotransfusion, myocardial preservation, anticoagulation and hematologic monitoring/analysis, physiological monitoring/analysis, blood gas and blood chemistry monitoring/analysis, induction of hypothermial/hyperthermia with reversal, hemodilution, hemofiltration, administration of medications, blood components, and anesthetic agents via the extracorporeal circuit, medical record documentation associated with described duties, isolated limb/organ perfusion, electrophysiological analysis, surgical assistance, organ preservation, dialysis.
