ECMO Core Team Specialist - Primer

Thanks for your interest in Children's Mercy!

Do you envision finding a meaningful role with an inclusive and compassionate team? At Children’s Mercy, we believe in making a difference in the lives of all children and shining a light of hope to the patients and families we serve. Our employees make the difference, which is why we have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top pediatric hospital, for eleven consecutive years.

Children’s Mercy is in the heart of Kansas City – a metro abounding in cultural experiences, vibrant communities and thriving businesses. This is where our patients and families live, work and play. This is a community that has embraced our hospital and we strive to say thanks by giving back. As a leader in children’s health, we engage in meaningful programs and partnerships throughout the region so that we can improve the lives of children beyond the walls of our hospital.

Overview

Are you an experienced ECMO RN or RRT? Come join our ECMO Core Team!

Children’s Mercy was one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to offer a neonatal and pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Program. Since launching the program in 1987, more than 1270 children have been placed on ECMO, making it one of the highest-volume neonatal and pediatric programs in the country.

Children’s Mercy is recognized as a Platinum Center of Excellence by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO)

The Platinum level designation demonstrates that Children’s Mercy’s ECMO Program has:

• Excellence in promoting the mission, activities, and vision of ELSO
• Excellence in patience care by using the highest quality measures, processes, and structures based on evidence
• Excellence in training, education, collaboration, and communication in supporting ELSO guidelines that contributes to a healing environment for families, patients and staff. 

Our ECMO program is one of the largest neonatal and pediatric programs in the U.S. and ranks among the top hospitals for survival rates of all diagnoses.

• Busy Neonatal, Pediatric, and Heart Failure program managing ECMO patients in the NICU, PICU, and CICU
• VA and VV
• 50-60 runs per year
• 500-600 patient days/year
• Spectrum Medical
• Roller pumps for patients <8kg; Centrifugal pumps for patients >8kg
• Multiple education opportunities including multidisciplinary high-fidelity ECMO simulation, a four-day certification course, and case reviews 
• Innovative program pushing the envelope, including early rehab and ambulation on ECMO, tandem therapies, and ECMO transport.

Utilizes nursing/RT/perfusion process and knowledge of scientific principles to provide comprehensive clinical management of patients requiring extracorporeal support therapies.

At Children’s Mercy, we are committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcomed within our walls. A successful candidate for this position will join us as we strive to create a workplace that reflects the community we serve, as well as our core values of kindness, curiosity, inclusion, team and integrity.

Additionally, it’s important to us that we remain transparent with all potential job candidates. Because we value the safety of the patients and families we serve, as well as the Children’s Mercy staff, we want to let you know that the seasonal influenza vaccine is a condition of employment for all employees in our organization. New employees must be willing to be vaccinated if found non-immune to measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and chicken pox (varicella) and/or without evidence of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination since 2005. If you are selected for this position, you will be asked to supply your immunization records as proof of vaccination. If you and have any concerns about receiving these vaccines, medical and/or religious exemptions can be further discussed with Human Resources.

Responsibilities

• Oversees initiation, termination and maintenance of ECMO and CRRT procedures for children requiring extracorporeal support. Initiates ECPR in the event of a sudden cardiopulmonary arrest.
• Provides direct care to ECMO/CRRT patients. Practices with expert knowledge and skill to assess, monitor and maintain functional integrity of the extracorporeal system during clinical use.
• Meets the educational and informational needs of the staff involved in providing extracorporeal circulatory support to critically ill patients.
• Participates in performance improvement activities.
• Attends education programs, unit meetings and assigned committees

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required for RN and Perfusionist:
  • 1-2 years ECMO experience, including priming experience and circuit management. CRRT Experience preferred.
  • Pediatric and/or neonatal experience. 
• If the candidate is a Registered Nurse, one of the following is required upon hire:
  • Registered Nurse Multistate License Missouri
  • Registered Nurse Multistate License Kansas
  • RN Compact license for all states besides KS and MO
• Associate's Degree required for RT; Bachelor's highly preferred:
  • 1-2 years ECMO experience, including priming experience and circuit management. CRRT Experience Preferred.
  • Pediatric and/or neonatal experience.
• If the candidate is a Respiratory Therapist: 
  • Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
• If the candidate is a Perfusionist:
  • Certified Clinical Perfusionist MO
  • American Board of Clinical Perfusion certification as Cardiac Perfusionist (CCP) or ABCP eligible and Missouri Board of Healing Arts License as Cardiac Perfusionist (provisional or full) required prior to start date 
• Priming experience is required for external candidates 
• Refer to Nursing and Advanced Practice Provider Licensure and Certification policy for required Life Support Certifications 
• Specialty Certification relevant to unit's patient population (determined by Nurse Manager/Director) Preferred upon hire 

Benefits at Children's Mercy

The benefits plans at Children’s Mercy are one of many reasons we are recognized as one of the best places to work in Kansas City. Our plans are designed to meet the changing needs of our employees and their families.

Learn more about Children’s Mercy benefits.

Starting Pay

Our pay ranges are market competitive. The pay range for this job begins at $45.82/hr, but your offer will be determined based on your education and experience.

Remote Work/Work from Home

This position is not eligible to work remotely, which means that the person hired will be required to work onsite at one of our Children’s Mercy locations and may not work from home.

EEO Employer/Disabled/Vet

Children’s Mercy hires individuals based on their job skills, expertise and ability to maintain professional relationships with fellow employees, patients, parents and visitors. A personal interview, formal education and training, previous work experience, references and a criminal background investigation are all factors used to select the best candidates. The hospital does not discriminate against prospective or current employees based on the race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, creed, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry or veteran status. A drug screen will be performed upon hire. Children’s Mercy is smoke and tobacco free.

CM is committed to creating a workforce that supports the diverse backgrounds of our patients and families. We know that our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team, so we hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger and our patient care more compassionate.

If you share our values and our enthusiasm for service, you will find a home at CM. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, including education, ideas, culture, and beliefs.