Overview
During certain operations, such as open heart surgery, the doctors must stop the patient’s heart. A heart-lung machine is used to keep the patient’s blood flowing until the heart can be restarted. The person who operates the heart-lung machine is called a cardiac perfusionist.
If the patient requires additional blood products or medications during the procedure, the perfusionist can administer these through the heart-lung machine. The perfusionist also monitors and controls the patient’s body temperature by increasing or decreasing the temperature of the patient’s blood as it passes through the machine.
In addition to these critical responsibilities in the operating theater, the perfusionist also evaluates and selects new equipment, orders supplies, and oversees technical support staff.
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Salary:
$45,000
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$80,000
[*]
Years in school:
4
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6
after high school graduation
Job outlook:
Very Good
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