What is a Perfusionist? 

certified clinical perfusionist

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it." -Steve Jobs

Introduction:

Our perspective at OnBypass.com is to paint a vivid picture of the Perfusion profession. Doing so makes the health-career inquisitor intrigued with a desire to learn more. Let’s highlight some job qualifications and tastefully go through the generalities to accomplish this. 

Qualifications:

  • Perfusionists are allied-health professionals with training in biology, bioengineering, physiology, cardiology, and cardiac surgery

  • Their main job is to operate the heart-lung machine during cardiothoracic procedures

  • Perfusionists hold the title of Certified Clinical Perfusionist (CCP), have at least a Bachelor's degree and background in science, complete a certified training program, and pass the clinical/science board exam

  • They are required to gain continued education credits annually

Responsibilities:

  • Perfusionists are one of the first medical personnel in the operating room

  • They review the patient's medical chart and gather pharmaceuticals for the case before the patient arrives

  • They set up and prime the heart-lung machine and quality control all ancillary laboratory equipment used in conjunction with it.

  • They complete a protocol-guided checklist to ensure patient safety

  • They draw the patient arterial blood for analysis and formulate an effective plan

  • They manage the patient's blood hemodynamics, temperature, electrolyte balance, coagulation, oxygenation, and volume status

  • They administer drug reagents and control the patient's level of anesthesia under physician supervision

  • They halt and maintain cardiac stasis by administering solutions directly to the patient's heart

  • They are responsible for follow-up care and patient/family education

Procedures:

  • Perfusionists are involved with a variety of cardiac procedures, including but not limited to:

    • Coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) & Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafts (OPCAB)

    • Valve repairs/replacements (Aortic, Mitral, Pulmonic, Tricuspid; AVR, MVR, PVR, TVR, respectively)

    • Repair of great vessel aneurysms/dissections

    • Heart transplants

    • Cardiac reconstructions

    • Repair of congenital heart defects

    • Transcatheter aortic valve repairs (TAVR)

    • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)

    • Mechanical heart implantation/maintenance

    • Intra aortic balloon pump (IABP)

    • Miscellaneous procedures that require stasis of the heart (i.e., tumor removal & cardiac trauma)

  • Perfusionists are also involved with procedures outside of the cardiac realm, including but not limited to:

    • Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

    • Lung transplants

    • Liver transplants

    • Isolated limb perfusion

    • Cryogenics

    • Orthopedic autotransfusion collection

Skills:

  • Perfusionists have a blend of innate and acquired attributes, including but not limited to:

    • Mechanical/Engineering critical thinking skills

    • Laboratory analysis

    • Ability to maintain emotional composure under stressful situations

    • Proficiency with computers and data entry

    • Intrapersonal/Adaptability skills for evolving environments

    • Passion for medicine and drive to remain current with evolving techniques

    • Leadership skills

Salary:

  • Depending on demographic location and facility dynamics, Perfusionists can expect to earn between 90-120k

  • As experience and chain-of-command increase, earnings can rise to 175k+