Cardiovascular Specialist I- Radiologic Technologist

About the role

The Cardiovascular Specialist will provide excellent and efficient patient care throughout the cardiac catheterization and/or electrophysiology procedures by performing in various roles to include, but not limited to, physiologic monitoring, circulating, scrubbing, and those duties specific to licensure, certification, and/or registration.

Responsibilities

• Adheres to the general hospital standards to promote a cooperative work environment by utilizing communication skills, interpersonal relationships and team building.
• Following hospital policies and procedures.
• Following departmental policies and procedures.
• Contributing to the overall quality of services.
• Assuming responsibility for keeping informed about changes in policies and procedures.
• Ensures readiness of emergency equipment and supplies, recognizes, and reacts appropriately to potential emergency situations.
• Checking readiness of supplies and equipment for emergency cases.
• Applying knowledge of illness, injury and disease assessment process and recognizing those symptoms needing immediate intervention.
• Recognizing when a situation is critical and requires immediate attention.
• Initiating call/codes or contacts appropriate resources needed to provide or obtain emergency services.
• Providing emergency assistance as required and/or directed by the appropriate authority or emergency team leader.
• Remaining up-to-date on ACLS/BCLS.
• Maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment to patients, self, co-workers and facility.
• Maintaining IV fluids, stock drugs, emergency drugs and controlled substance, auditing amounts, expiration dates and reporting such findings to Pharmacy.
• Safeguarding the rights of patients and hospital personnel to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential manner.
• Providing patient comfort.
• Demonstrating safety consciousness through knowledge and adherence to safety standards.
• Applying knowledge of safe and effective use of equipment.
• Demonstrating proper technique and calibration of equipment when performing daily checks.
• Maintaining a safe and therapeutic physical environment and minimizing risk of injury by promoting fall precautions, use of side rails and other safety practices.
• Reporting any equipment malfunction.
• Operating all equipment needed for any aspect of invasive or interventional cardiology, including IABP.
• Preparing medications and checks emergency equipment for proper function prior to initiation of catheterization.
• Operation and quality control of all radiographic equipment.
• Maintaining a good working knowledge of all equipment utilized to ensure continuous effective operations of the facility.
• Maintaining working knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures involved in the operation of radiographic and fluoroscopic cardiac catheterization equipment.
• Works within required regulations for radiation safety and protection, involving all personnel and patients.
• Consistently utilizing Universal Protocol.
• Maintaining files and compiles records according to procedure as required for accurate and current departmental records and/or reports.
• Creating, maintaining and documenting, via electronic information systems, accurate records, files and logs for departmental records.
• Entering correct patient data, assigning appropriate charges for exams and recording/collecting data for Quality Assurance monitors.
• Completing documentation on appropriate forms, i.e., Cath Lab, nursing notes, Patient/Family Education Documentation Form, narcotic sheet, Code Blue sheet, etc.
• Completing consistently all parts of documentation system per hospital/unit policies.
• Understanding of HeartLab archiving equipment.
• Communicates to the team, co-workers, patients and family members in an effective positive and professional manner.
• Communicating information to patients and family members and evaluating understanding of information provided, i.e., diagnostic tests, special procedures, etc.
• Promoting a cooperative working environment by utilizing therapeutic communication skills.
• Communicating and addressing conflicts with appropriate personnel, utilizing listening skills and showing sensitivity.
• Promoting customer satisfaction by being responsive to patient and family needs.
• Communicating expectations to assigned team members with tact, and in a clear, concise and thorough manner.
• Ensuring that critical patient information and data is communicated effectively across the continuum of care.
• Developing and maintaining communication with others to effectively plan and coordinate activities, maintaining workflow, responding quickly to requests and keeping others informed of work progress.
• Utilizing Universal Protocol process for patient ID, procedure, etc.
• Provides coverage for 24-hour emergency call for Cardiac Cath Lab.
• Rotating on call responsibilities with other staff members.
• Responding in a timely fashion (within 25 minutes) to emergency calls.
• Facilitating activities between departments to ensure prompt patient care.
• Administers patient care as mandated by licensure, certification or registration.
• Monitoring patient to insure physiologic stability throughout the procedure.
• Utilizing advanced knowledge to properly administer prescribed medications and treatments under the direct supervision of the physician.
• Performing and assisting in procedures using skilled techniques.
• Evaluating patient prior to procedures, checking for appropriate consent and patient ID reporting any alarming patient conditions, explaining the procedure to patient, answering and/or researching patient questions.
• Positioning patient properly and/or comfortably, attaching protective, diagnostic and/or monitoring devices properly.
• Assessing the patient's physical needs.
• Evaluating effectiveness of nursing intervention.
• Carrying out physician orders.
• Provides instruction, education and consultation to co-workers, new employees and trainees.
• Participating in Continuing Education lectures and meetings.
• Providing educational support for co-workers.
• Participating in the instruction and orientation on proper techniques, procedures and use of equipment.
• Attends 80% of in-services.
• Maintains competencies (hospital and departmental) Performs and maintains competency for point of care testing as assigned.
• Maintaining annual competencies – written and observed.
• Participating in daily EQC when assigned and covers absences as needed.
• Documenting appropriately POCT data in SENSIS (Cardiac Cath Lab).
• Ensures age/developmentally appropriate patient procedures are provided in accordance with Age-Specific Care Guidelines for the specific age groups served.
• Demonstrating knowledge of physical, motor/sensory, mental, psychosocial, safety and developmental factors in the Age-Specific Care Guidelines.
• Integrating Age-Specific Care knowledge in assessing patient needs and in planning, prioritizing, delivering and documenting patient care.
• Communicating information, education, and patient needs sensitive to age and development level of the individual patient/family.
• Maintaining competence related to age-specific patient care by regularly updating knowledge of growth and development, the aging process and strategies to meet related needs.

Qualifications

• Graduate from an accredited Radiology Technologist program.
• ARRT Knowledgeable and proficient in the Circulator, Recorder (monitor) and Scrubbing roles within the procedure rooms.
• Ablation and device room setup competencies.
• Complete orientation/simple ablation and device procedures.
• TEE guided Cardioversions.
• Implantable Loop Recorders (ILR).