A perfusionist, or cardiovascular perfusionist, is a professional medical technologist who assists cardiovascular surgical teams with running heart-lung machines or cardiopulmonary bypass machines during surgical procedures. They generally work in operating rooms in hospitals and are sometimes referred to as ‘pump teams.’ In addition to running the bypass machines, perfusionists monitor vital signs and administer medications.
A Perfusionist should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. The following are some duties and responsibilities a Perfusionist should be able to execute:
- Administrative duties, including equipment monitoring and maintenance, management of entry-level perfusionists and purchasing equipment and supplies
- Assessing medical histories of patients to fully prepare for upcoming surgeries
- Administering medications and blood products to patients during surgical procedures through heart-lung bypass machines
- Operation of heart-lung machines, intra-aortic blood pumps, ventricular assistance devices and blood transfusion machines
- Monitoring and assessing vital signs and physiologic functions throughout surgical procedures to ensure patient safety
A competitive Perfusionist will have certain skills and qualifications, including:
- Mental and physical stamina and a strong ability to stay completely focused during lengthy medical procedures
- Strong communication skills to communicate effectively with surgeons, physicians, nurses and other medical staff
- Ability to demonstrate precise attention to detail when monitoring the vital signs of patients during surgeries
- Efficient time-management skills to ensure all duties are met on a daily basis
- Strong problem-solving skills to handle potential challenges that may arise with equipment during surgical procedures
- Ability to exhibit good bedside manner when speaking with patients and their family and/or loved ones
