Echo Technician

Description

Increased Sign-on Bonus Available

Introduction Do you want to join an organization that invests in you as an Echocardiographer? At Methodist Hospital, you come first. HCA Healthcare has committed up to $300 million in programs to support our incredible team members over the course of three years.

Benefits Methodist Hospital, offers a total rewards package that supports the health, life, career and retirement of our colleagues. The available plans and programs include:

* Comprehensive medical coverage that covers many common services at no cost or for a low copay. Plans include prescription drug and behavioral health coverage as well as free telemedicine services and free AirMed medical transportation.
* Additional options for dental and vision benefits, life and disability coverage, flexible spending accounts, supplemental health protection plans (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity), auto and home insurance, identity theft protection, legal counseling, long-term care coverage, moving assistance, pet insurance and more.
* Free counseling services and resources for emotional, physical and financial wellbeing
* 401(k) Plan with a 100% match on 3% to 9% of pay (based on years of service)
* Employee Stock Purchase Plan with 10% off HCA Healthcare stock
* Family support through fertility and family building benefits with Progyny and adoption assistance.
* Referral services for child, elder and pet care, home and auto repair, event planning and more
* Consumer discounts through Abenity and Consumer Discounts
* Retirement readiness, rollover assistance services and preferred banking partnerships
* Education assistance (tuition, student loan, certification support, dependent scholarships)
* Colleague recognition program
* Time Away From Work Program (paid time off, paid family leave, long- and short-term disability coverage and leaves of absence)
* Employee Health Assistance Fund that offers free employee-only coverage to full-time and part-time colleagues based on income.

Learn more about Employee Benefits

Note: Eligibility for benefits may vary by location.

You contribute to our success. Every role has an impact on our patients' lives and you have the opportunity to make a difference. We are looking for a dedicated Echocardiographer like you to be a part of our team.

Job Summary and Qualifications
Working under the supervision and guidance of the Non-Invasive Director, Echo Technician - Critical Care are responsible for all facets of cardiac ultrasound testing in the critical care setting including imaging of patients on mechanical circulatory support devices (impella, ventricular assist device, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and high acuity complex cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions including advanced heart failure and transplant, advanced lung failure and transplant, cardiogenic shock, structural heart, and post-op open heart surgery.

Minimum Education, Experience, Training, Required Knowledge, Skill, Abilities and Other Job 1 Related Characteristics:

1. Education: ALL of the following:

1) Graduate from an accredited cardiac sonography program

2) Bachelor's Degree in a patient-care related allied health education program

2. Experience: ALL of the following:

1) Minimum 5 years practicing as an echo/cardiac ultrasound sonographer

2) Minimum 3 years practicing in a cardiac intensive care setting

3. Employee completes initial and ongoing training and competencies as defined by service line, facility and department/unit which are specific to the needs of the patient population

served (if applicable). Completes 15 hours of echocardiography-related CME over a three year rolling period, 10 of which must be critical care related.

Minimum License, Certificates, or Registrations Required:

ONE of the following:

A. American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) in ONE of the following:

i. Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) for the patient population served: Adult (RDCS-AE), Fetal (RDCS-FE), and/or Pediatric (RDCS-PE) OR

ii. Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer in Fetal Echocardiography (RDMSFE)

B. Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) from Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)

C. Advanced Cardiac Sonographer (ACS) from Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)

Essential Job Functions:

1. Demonstrates technical proficiency for echocardiograms:

A. Applies American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) Guidelines in the Management of patients with left ventricular assist devices and mechanical circulatory support (2105; updated guidelines will be released 2024). This aspect of critical care management is instrumental in the management of patients with cardiogenic shock, post-complex PCI/CABG, valvular cardiomyopathy, pre-transplant status, VV/VA ECMO. Sonographers will also obtain pre LVAD or pre-temporary mechanical circulatory support assessment. Identifies those patients with contraindications to percutaneous device support. Helps in repositioning of Impella devices, defining inflow canula position, identifying device related alarm etiology, and assisting with weaning trials and myocardial recovery detection.

B. Demonstrates technical proficiency for TEEs. Set up of equipment and all supplies. Assists with critical thinking, assessment during procedure. Instrumental in optimizing image acquisition/recording. Assists with 3-D imaging, processing. Ensures all necessary views for research studies are acquired and recorded. Demonstrates competency in quantitative and qualitative methods to differentiate severity of valvular heart disease.

C. Echocardiograms (may be applicable to pediatric and neonatal) Performs 2-D, 3-D, M 1 mode, color Doppler, pulsed wave Doppler, continuous wave Doppler, and global longitudinal strain (RV/LA/LV). This includes all measurements as needed for a complete study to include parasternal long axis, parasternal short axis, apical 4-chamber, apical long axis, and apical 2-chamber, and subcostal views, and suprasternal views, including required sweeps in the above views. Applies critical thinking skills to assess the patient condition to provide any additional/non-standardized views that will assist the cardiologist in the care/treatment of the patient.

D. Stress echo (exercise and chemical): Performs 2-D imaging for the evaluation of suspected coronary artery disease, assessment of myocardial viability, evaluation of valvular heart disease and dyspnea of unclear etiology. Rest/stress images will be obtained as per ASE guidelines (2020).

Performance Criteria:

1. Demonstrates solid knowledge of equipment operation to facilitate acquisition of high quality images. Uses equipment safely and maintains work area in an orderly fashion.

1. Prepares technical data for physician interpretation and review, including creation of Preliminary report.

2. Completes echo-related clerical duties. Maintains patient records in a secure fashion.

3. Demonstrates a broad working knowledge of basic cardiac and Congenital Heart disease.

4. Demonstrates technical proficiency for echocardiograms:

5. Acquires a signed physician order with indicator for all exams. Demonstrates good judgment in responding to STAT calls and appropriately prioritizes STAT orders. Ensures patient consent is signed for the ordered procedure as needed. Effectively communicates and explains the procedure to the patient without discussing clinical findings of the exam. Validates the patient and/or family understanding of the procedure

6. Maintains all patient reports in accordance with Hospital policy. This includes but is not limited to the following: pulling all previous reports/images; presenting images to the correct reading physician; notifying reading physicians of requests; entering proper patient charges into Meditech; performing database and operating system backup; error log review; Hemodynamic Monitoring system data field modification; and proper storage of archived exam/study data.

7. Performs high level disinfection using established policies and procedures as required.

Additional Job Functions:

1. Supports the mission and vision of the Methodist Healthcare System. Understands and is committed to helping the Methodist Healthcare System and its associated facilities achieve its goals.

2. Must learn and comply with System and facility safety policies and rules; must use appropriate safety equipment and procedures at all times; must immediately report all unsafe conditions to supervisors; must be familiar with all safety features of equipment, tools or materials encompassed by job duties; and must check with supervisors (prior to job performance) if there is a question as to the safe procedure to be used for any job function.

3. Adheres to the MHS Code of Conduct and demonstrates ethical behavior as expected by our patients, colleagues and the community. Understands the personal obligation to report any activity that appears to violate applicable laws, rules regulations or the Code of Conduct itself.

4. Serves as subject matter expert and mentor as new technologies in the critical care setting become available. Including but limited to adoption of artificial intelligence and new critical care cardiac devices.

5. Development of critical care competencies and mentorship of new echo sonographers.

6. Completes other duties as assigned.
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