Job responsibilities
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
All Cardiac physiology staffSection ManagersAdministrative & clerical staffNursing and Medical staffDoctors, GPs, and ConsultantsCatheter lab staffPortersAmbulance staffOutpatients
KEY RESULT AREAS
1. Undertake specialised technical procedures listed below, which may be repetitive in nature, but require a high degree of precision, concentration over long periods, sensory coordination, and instantaneous decision-making.
2. Analyse and interpret hard copy and real time results (which may be complex and either urgent or routine in nature) and communicate these to the operator or referring clinician in order that the appropriate immediate actions can be taken.
3. The actions (point 2) for which the post-holder is responsible may include:
DefibrillationResuscitationTemporary pacingAssisting with the insertion of an Intra-Aortic Balloon PumpEmergency transfer to theatre
4. Process test results and ensure that they are made available to the referrer via the correct route (orally, written or electronically) and within department time standards.
5. Perform the procedures/investigations listed below on a routine basis: -
Electrocardiography (ECG), including analysing ECGs recorded by others and advising when it is safe to send a patient home following ECG or when further medical opinion should be sought.
Application/issuing of ambulatory monitors (ECG & BP) on adult and paediatric patients
Analyse and produce a clinical report of ambulatory recordings, which requires a high level of concentration over a period
Manage exercise tolerance tests, which require a high degree of precision and sensory coordination, and interpret results, providing a clinical report.
Provide technical support, including monitoring, recording, and assessing ECG, blood pressure recordings and oximetry, during left heart catheterisation, PCI, pericardial aspiration, right heart,and congenital and paediatric catheterisation procedures
Cardiac Output studies
Catheter valvuloplasty (e.g., mitral)
Trans-catheter valve replacement e.g., TAVI
Perform routine elective cardioversion and emergency defibrillation, attending cardiac arrests as required.
Provide technical support during intra-aortic balloon pump insertion to include setting up of the pressure monitoring line; selection of appropriate balloon size and adjustment of inflation/deflation times as necessary.
Perform echocardiography on patients from all medical and surgical disciplines, acquiring images and interpreting the to produce a clinical report
Provide technical support during temporary and permanent pacemaker and implantable loop recorder implantation, by:
I. Selecting the most appropriate device for implant, according to the patients symptoms and disease aetiology
II. Assessing the position of the pacing lead(s) by performing electrical measurements
III. Advising clinicians on the acceptability of the results
Provide pacemaker and ICD follow-up and troubleshooting service for a wide range of implantable devices, including making programming decisions and changes based on interrogated information, for the benefit of the patient, under the guidance of senior staff in the CRM team. 6. Assist ChiefCardiac Physiologists during:
ICD ImplantComplex echocardiography studies, e.g., TOE, stress echoElectrophysiology and ablation studies by interpreting and analysing intracardiac signals, and, as instructed by the operator, performing intracardiac pacing and ablation.
7. Recognise life-threatening arrhythmias and, following adult ILS or paediatric BLS training, act in accordance with the protocols
8. Recognise less critical problems and, as appropriate, assist other staff to solve the problem or seek appropriate assistance from medical or other senior staff within the area.
9. To respond to emergency/urgent calls and aid as required by the team responsible for the patient e.g., in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest or collapse.
10. Provide clinical supervision and assistance to junior / less experienced staff in own area of work and be able to deal with ad-hoc interruptions by junior / less experienced staff requiring immediate assistance with clinical or technical issues.
11. Prepare equipment, ensuring that daily checks are carried out and the equipment is safe to use.
12. Prepare the patient prior to the test, where necessary, ensuring repeatable, accurate electrodeplacement to obtain the desired results, and instruct the patient on the test procedure.
13. Operate equipment correctly; demonstrating accurate keyboard skills and observation of therolling ECG and/or pressure measurements throughout several procedures e.g., exercise tolerance tests, ambulatory ECG analysis, left heart catheterisation.
14. To organise and prioritise own day-to-day workload according to the urgency of the tests, and respond to requests for additional tests, delegating tasks to junior staff as necessary.
15. Effectively communicate with all patients, in a re-assuring and helpful manner, to obtain the information necessary prior to performing the test and to gain their co-operation during the test.
16. Communicate with all cardiac physiologists, medical staff, and general practitioners regarding individual patient care as appropriate. This may include communicating complex, detailed information that needs to be imparted to the practitioner in a manner that they will understand.
17. Recognise the sensitivity of some of the information received and ensure that patient confidentiality is always maintained.
18. On occasion, deal with confused and aggressive patients, relatives and carers with tact and diplomacy.
19. Ensure accurate documentation of procedures performed on a manual or computerised database.
20. Transport equipment, (which is light, medium, or heavy weight and manoeuvrable, but may be sensitive and expensive) required for the procedure to outpatient clinics or wards, to provide the same quality service away from the main department.
21. Ensure all equipment used is safe to use, kept clean and fully stocked, reporting faults to medical physics/appropriate manufacturer/medical devices agency.
22. Adhere to existing departmental protocols/procedures and refer to senior staff as necessary.
23. Maintain a high level of professionalism when potentially distressing or upsetting situations arise and on the occasions that working conditions are unpleasant e.g., when attending a cardiac arrest or when there is contact with bodily fluids.
24. Responsible for keeping own skills up to date, attending lecture programmes and acquiring additional skills in specialised procedures.
25. Assist in the training and supervision of personnel learning the management of ETT, including doctors, senior nurses, and departmental staff of various grades, taking responsibility for ensuring all necessary documentation is satisfactorily completed and that a clinical report on these studies is produced.
26. Participate in the departmental appraisal process for own professional and personal development and progression.
27. Participate in audits, research and clinical trials performing tests to agreed protocols.
28. Undertakes and adheres to departmental policies for: -
Risk Management
Health & Safety
Confidentiality
Data protection
Fire
Infection control
Child protection
Equipment malfunction
Identification of patients
Uniform
31. The post-holder will be primarily based at one of the sites and will be required to rotatethroughout the department and across site to encourage personal development and maintain service provision.
32. Any other duties that may be assigned by the Senior Chief Cardiac Physiologist
GENERAL
Participate in the catheter lab on-call rota, thus assisting in providing a departmental 24-hour service within the Trust.
Participate in weekend, evening and Bank Holiday working as required to reduce length of stay.
You will be required to maintain compliance with all statutory and mandatory training requirements
