Senior Clinical Perfusionist (XR08)

Job description

Job responsibilities

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The post holder will:-

CLINICAL PRACTICE

Take, where appropriate, delegated responsibility for the delivery of a highly specialist perfusion service, ensuring the service is effective and well-coordinated.

Offer and undertake a range of highly specialised perfusion techniques during routine and emergency cardiopulmonary bypass.

Assess patients relevant medical history, pathology and diagnosis and make appropriate decisions concerning conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass procedures.

Advise clinicians on the suitability of equipment and suggest to clinicians appropriate courses of action.

Set up, prime and run the cardiopulmonary bypass machine to maintain life support for the period of cardiopulmonary bypass according to broad occupational and clinical policies as well as recent scientific evidence, seeking advice when necessary.

Regularly undertake By-pass initiation and termination which requires a high level of hand eye and sensory coordination, similar to that required for suturing/intubation.

Take personal responsibility for simultaneously monitoring and making fine adjustments to 43 patient parameters on the bypass machine and to clinically respond and react to any changes in the patients condition. This requires intense concentration for the duration of individual cases which can last up to 12 hours.

Sample, analyse and interpret arterial/venous blood gases and patient coagulation status in the form of Activated clotting times and Thromboelastograph.

Administer drugs, including colloid / crystalloid fluids, vasoactive drugs, cardioplegia solution, potassium, anticoagulants, haemostatic drugs, sodium bicarbonate and osmotic diuretics as clinically indicated.

Monitor a wide range of highly complex and routinely conflicting clinical information on a minute-to-minute basis such as blood oximetry; cardiac output; systemic vascular resistance; ventilation; anticoagulation; renal status and blood glucose levels, and take appropriate autonomous action in both alpha and pH stat blood management.

Manipulate on a second-to-second basis the patients cardiovascular system whilst on cardiopulmonary bypass.

Determine requirement for, and perform where clinically indicated, haemofiltration and blood transfusion during cardiopulmonary bypass, including modified ultrafiltration in neonates.

Set up and manage, where appropriate, antegrade/retrograde cerebral perfusion; deep hypothermic circulatory arrest; vacuum assisted venous drainage; mechanical support devices; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, Intra-aortic balloon pumping.

Provide one to one care to acutely ill children with life threatening conditions. This involves shifts of up to 12 hours over a period of 2 weeks. This requires the post holder to provide a high level of emotional support to parents and other relatives over a sustained and repeated period.

Ensure quality control, calibration, cleaning, maintenance and safe use of expensive complex medical equipment in Clinical Perfusion

Frequent direct exposure to uncontained patient blood.

Participate fully in the Clinical Perfusion 24hr on-call cover.

MANAGERIAL

Liaise with other members of the surgical, anaesthetic and nursing teams.

Manage and prioritise own caseload/workload independently.

Be responsible for supervision of students, involving judging competence levels and organising suitable activity.

Complete a training record and casebook.

Discuss and sensitively deal with any highlighted problems that have arisen during supervision. This may involve providing reassurance where necessary or discussing problems with senior colleagues or staff

Respect the confidentiality of all matters that may relate to colleagues employment and that of other members of staff. All staff are expected to respect the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

Take leading roles, delegated by the Clinical Perfusion Manager in organising the departmental on call rota and daily activity planner. Write protocols and liaise any changes to staff in an appropriate forum. Order stock and organise its delivery, ensuring expiry dates are noted and stock rotated to ensure no stock wastage. Organise mandatory training for all perfusion staff to ensure training is kept up to date. Input files onto the departmental auditing database.

Plan staff rosters, equipment, supplies and maintenance of equipment with external contractors at least 5 weeks in advance and specifically in response to the planned elective list profile.

To reallocate work, staff, supplies equipment and recalibrate that equipment in response to acute cardiac surgery which makes up 50 % of the activity on a daily basis and/or in response to hot acute surgery demands (response time 1 hour).

Attend monthly audit meetings and contribute to the sessions by offering specialist knowledge and experience and feedback any relevant information discussed at the meetings.

Deputising in the absence of the Clinical Perfusion Manager.

Research and Development

Develop specialised techniques and protocols.

Participate in developing and implementing protocols and procedures within Clinical Perfusion. When impacting on other professional groups discuss with appropriate associate to encourage co-operation and to negotiate a favourable outcome.

Be responsible for personal update of knowledge on areas surrounding policies and ensure that relevant information is distributed to the appropriate individuals.

Evaluate, research and audit perfusion equipment testing as part of routine work.

Evaluate and contribute to changes in practice to improve quality of patient care.

Offer advice on research and development within the Directorate to promote perfusion research within a multidisciplinary team.

Liaise, co-ordinate and comply with other appropriate authorities and departments regarding the instigation of research projects, e.g., medical staff, R & D, Ethics committee, suppliers and both internal and external laboratories.

Critically review current literature to reflect current thinking regarding principles and practices of cardiopulmonary bypass that may ultimately lead to improvement in patient care.

Ensure that all duties are carried out in accordance with policies, practices and procedures of the Trust.

Comply with corporate governance structure in keeping with the principles and standards set out by the Trust.

Undertake equipment testing of new equipment.

Gather and collate research data in relation to the use of new equipment and protocols in relation to mortality and morbidity, to influence and implement evidence-based practice across the perfusion service.

Present research data at the Directorate Audit Meetings in the absence of the Chief Perfusionist.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of additional proactive roles within a perfusion department, i.e. research seminars, presentations, training
• Excellent multidisciplinary communication, oral and written
• Adult cardiopulmonary bypass procedures and associated techniques
• Ability to deal with difficult interpersonal situations
• Awareness of professional responsibility

Desirable

• Paediatric perfusion
• ECMO
• Evidence of implementing positive change within the workplace

Skills & behaviours

Essential

• Positive mindset in respect of Supporting organisational change; learning, and continuous improvement
• Effective interpersonal and intrapersonal skills including high degree of self -awareness and self regulation
• Taking responsibility and accountability for delivering to their agreed objectives
• Acts to support and enable effective teamwork

Qualifications

Essential

• PGDip Perfusion science or equivalent
• Accredited by SOCPSGBI
• Registered with COCPSGBI

Desirable

• MSc Perfusion

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

Leeds General Infirmary

Great George Street

Leeds

LS1 3EX

Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)