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Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Peripheral Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Without Left Ventricular Venting
Published on: January 17, 2025
Nursing Roles in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Michelle Parrett1, Cassia Yi, Brooke Weaver
1Michelle Parrett is an assistant ECMO coordinator and ECMO lead at UC San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, where Cassia Yi is a clinical coordinator in the Mechanical Circulatory Support Program, Brooke Weaver is an ECMO lead, Meghan Jones is an NP in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Judy Davidson is a nurse scientist, Mazen Odish is an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and Travis Pollema is an associate clinical professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and medical director of the UC San Diego ECMO Program. Marites B. Almachar is a cardiac acute care float advanced practice provider and teaching associate in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle. Contact author: Michelle Parrett, mparrett@health.ucsd.edu . Cassia Yi, Mazen Odish, and Travis Pollema are Extracorporeal Life Support Organization instructors. The authors and planners have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides mechanical support for severe heart or lung failure. This article explores ECMO nursing roles, care models, and cost-saving strategies for specialized RN staffing.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Pulmonology
- Critical Care
Background:
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a vital mechanical circulatory support for severe respiratory or cardiac failure unresponsive to standard treatments.
- ECMO is a complex, high-cost intervention requiring intensive multidisciplinary care.
- Patients undergoing ECMO are critically ill, necessitating specialized teams.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate the multifaceted roles of nurses within ECMO programs.
- To examine diverse ECMO delivery care models.
- To assess the financial benefits of employing registered nurse (RN) ECMO specialists and introduce the ECMO lead role.
Main Methods:
- Review of current ECMO program structures and staffing.
- Analysis of nursing responsibilities in ECMO patient management.
- Evaluation of care models and cost-effectiveness of specialized nursing staff.
Main Results:
- ECMO requires a coordinated team including physicians, perfusionists, nurses, and respiratory therapists.
- Specific nursing roles are critical for successful ECMO implementation and patient outcomes.
- An RN ECMO specialist model shows potential for cost savings.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing ECMO nursing roles and care models is essential for program success.
- Specialized RN staffing, including an ECMO lead, can enhance efficiency and potentially reduce costs.
- Multidisciplinary collaboration is key to managing critically ill ECMO patients.
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