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Exemption Status:

Non-Exempt

Schedule Details:

Monday through Friday, Weekends (Saturday and Sunday), Weekends - Every Other Weekend

Scheduled Hours:

1845-0715

Shift:

3 - Night Shift, 12 Hours (United States of America)

Hours:

36

Cost Center:

10020 - 1710 Respiratory Therapy

Union:

SHARE (State Healthcare and Research Employees)

This position may have a signing bonus available a member of the Recruitment Team will confirm eligibility during the interview process.

Everyone Is a Caregiver

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 16,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.

The Registered Respiratory Therapist / ECMO Specialist is responsible for operation and monitoring of the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) circuit, for patients who are on ECMO support. Administers various forms of respiratory modalities in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Respiratory Care Department.

Major Responsibilities:

• Continuously monitors the function of the ECMO system including centrifugal pump, membrane oxygenator, heating unit, and cannula placement for any patient who is on ECMO. Also, the ECMO specialist must continuously monitor the structural integrity of the ECMO circuit.

• In conjunction with the nurse, perfusionist, and provider, continuously monitors anticoagulation for patients who are on ECMO, and recommends adjustments to anticoagulation strategy as needed. Monitors the ECMO circuit for thrombosis.

• Works in conjunction with the bedside nurse, perfusionist, and provider to ensure that the patient on ECMO has adequate end organ perfusion, maintains acid base balance and hemodynamic stability within ordered parameters, has adequate oxygenation and ventilation, along with maintaining other parameters as ordered by the ECMO service.

• Effectively and rapidly troubleshoots the ECMO circuit, and clearly and effectively communicates findings to the ECMO service.

• Effectively and rapidly intervenes during critical ECMO emergencies; including being able to separate the patient from ECMO, troubleshoot and correct the problem, and return the patient to ECMO support as soon as possible.

Position Qualifications:

License/Certification/Education:

Required:

• Currently licensed in respiratory care by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Division of Professional Licensure.

• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

• Current registration by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) – Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential effective January 2017 for new hires. All employees are expected to comply with the NBRC’s Continuing Competency program and are required to provide evidence that they are continuing to meet current standards of practice and have successfully renewed their national credentials issued by the NBRC.

• Minimum of an Associate’s degree or equivalent in Respiratory Care.

• Satisfactory completion of the UMass Memorial Medical Center ECMO specialist training course. Ongoing satisfactory completion of periodic skills testing, and competency drills will be mandatory to maintain ECMO specialist credentialing. 

• Certification Exam upon completion of the program leading to the new title of ECMO specialist.

• Current BLS certification.

Preferred:

• ACLS certification

• Current or working towards bachelor's degree in respiratory care or other health care related curriculum.

Experience/Skills:

Required:

• Strong communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

• Strong computer and technical skills.

• Cardiac ICU experience

Preferred:

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