Board Certified Perfusionists

Description

Posterity Group LLC is a veteran owned, service-disabled small business, headquartered in Rockville, MD, that specializes in federal government contracting and staffing. We are tasked with staffing the South Texas VA Healthcare System - Audie Murphy VA Medical Center with a Board Certified Perfusionist. The Perfusionist is expected to perform the following:   

•  Clinical perfusion services for cardiopulmonary bypass, Cell Saver, Platelet Gel Production, Pacer, and Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) monitoring. 
• Perfusionist must stay in-house when providing IABP monitoring. Services shall be provided in collaboration with the Cardio/Thoracic Surgeon and Anesthesiologist.  
• Plan, organize, coordinate and evaluate the clinical perfusion requirements for each patient’s cardiopulmonary surgical procedure and are responsible for the physiologic monitoring, analysis, intervention and hemodynamic stability of patients in the most complex types of surgical procedures. 
• Perfusionist shall have expert knowledge of cardio-pulmonary bypass methods, equipment and procedures. 
• Provides a comprehensive understanding of anatomy, physiology, physics and mechanics of pacemakers in support of procedures for temporary pacemaker and Maze management.  
• Providing extracorporeal support: The Clinical Perfusionist is responsible for the management of the physiologic and metabolic needs of the cardiac surgical patient.  
• They are responsible for conducting extracorporeal circulation and ensuring the safe management of cardio-respiratory functions during any medical situation where it is necessary to support the patient’s cardio-respiratory function including but not limited to: cardiopulmonary bypass; extracorporeal resuscitation; and extracorporeal circulation for long term support of failing respiratory and/or cardiac function.
•  Associated extracorporeal support functions provided by the Clinical Perfusionist for  maintaining the patient’s homeostasis as dictated by specific patient physiological status  will include: myocardial protection through administration of prescribed cardioplegia  solutions via the coronary blood supply anatomical systems;  hemofiltration/renal  replacement therapy; anticoagulation and hemostasis management, analysis and  intervention; thermal regulation; blood gas and blood chemistry monitoring; physiologic  monitoring, analysis and intervention; administration of blood components,  pharmaceuticals and anesthetic agents.   
•  Heart failure therapy and clinical support services to include: ventricular assist device  management; external counter pulsation and intra-aortic counter pulsation device  oversight and management including device insertion and monitoring for patient  balloon pump operation in the Intensive Care Units; temporary pacemaker  management; external counter pulsation; management of transportation of  extracorporeal supported patients for safe transport; hemofiltration and aqua pheresis;  periodic flow augmentation therapy. 
•  Provision of  blood management services to include: autotransfusion oversight for  autologous blood and cell salvage techniques;  platelet gel therapies; non-differential  progenitor cell harvest; acute normovolemia hemodilution; phlebotomy; hemostasis  monitoring and analysis with an advanced working knowledge of anticoagulation  therapies, blood component therapy (including platelet gel and sequestration),  physiological implications of disease processes on hemostasis, blood banking  procedures, blood storage and administration.    
•  Other clinical responsibilities include Isolated limb/organ perfusion; isolated limb/ organ delivery of chemotherapeutics, progenitor cells, gene therapy vectors; organ procurement and preservation; thermogenic lavage; renal replacement therapy; electrophysiological analysis; therapeutic hyperthermia and therapeutic hypothermia.  
•  Complies with all appropriate and applicable patient care policies, procedures and regulations of the VHA and STVAHCS to ensure compliance with Joint Commission guidelines.  

Requirements

•  Be certified with at least a minimum of two (2) years of experience 
•  All Perfusionists shall be a graduate of an accredited Allied Health Education Program School of Perfusion Technology and shall be certified by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, demonstrate evidence of meeting continuing education requirements and shall have performed a minimum of 1000 clinical cases 
•  Experience shall be demonstrated in the following areas: Open heart surgery, autotransfusion, heart lung machine, membrane oxygenation, left/right heart bypass, intra-aortic balloon pumping and centrifugal ventricular assist device