ECHO TECHNICIAN CARDIOVASCULAR

Provides patient care, assists patient care requirements and performs cardiology diagnostic test procedures for adult patients, paediatric and neonatal per the clinical objectives established by the ordering or attending physicians, the Cardiology Consultants, Critical Care Consultants, other Specialty Medical Consultants, Director of Interventional Cardiology, Manager of Heart Center and Senior Cardiac Technician following the American Hospital Dubai/AHVI Clinical Policy and Procedures, the Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCIA), the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the American Heart Association (AHA), the American Society for Echocardiography, the Inter-societal Accreditation Commission and the American College of Cardiology clinical procedures and guidelines.

Responsibilities

Quality and Accuracy:

• Performs safe and quality basic and comprehensive cardiology diagnostic test procedures following the clinical policy and procedures established by the American Hospital Dubai and the American Heart and Vascular Institute (AHVI).  
• Responds to patient emergencies and assists or performs Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advance Life Support (PALS) whenever clinically indicated or required.  
• Performs comprehensive patient assessment and re-assessment before, during or after each clinical test procedure and following the clinical standards established by the World Health Organization assessment and the Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCIA) - International Patient Safety Goals (IPSG) requirement.  
• Communicates directly with the attending or the ordering physician or the Medical Consultant and immediately reports any of the following that includes vague or contraindicated diagnostic procedures, unstable patient’s baseline vital signs, preliminary but critical diagnostic findings or test results, test complications, medications adverse reactions, patient’s refusal to diagnostic testing and any serious clinical events or a patient emergency. 
• Documents all test procedures and clinical test events into the patient’s electronic medical records (EMR) following the hospital and the established clinical policy and procedures of the department.  
• Utilizes appropriate medical equipment during the test procedures that may include any of the following:
  • Cardiac Monitoring Device
  • Pulse Oximeter
  • ECG machine
  • Treadmill machine
  • Echocardiography machines
  • Holter machines
  • Ambulatory Blood Pressure machines
  • External mobile monitoring system.
• Reviews the quality of the cardiology diagnostic preliminary test reports after each patient’s test procedure on all cardiology diagnostic tests. 
• Prepares all preliminary cardiology diagnostic test reports or machine-generated preliminary reports after each test procedure and submits a preliminary report copy to the Cardiology Consultants for immediate review, evaluation and final results. 
• Refrains from utilizing any medical equipment that failed functional calibration or bio-calibration and verbally reports the equipment problems to the Biomedical Engineers and through the iService electronic reporting system for immediate inspection and repair.  
• Disinfects all medical equipment after each patient’s utilization following the Infection Prevention and Control clinical standards and as per hospital and department clinical policy and procedures.
• Disposes all soiled or used “single-patient-use” medical supplies after each patient’s test procedure using the medical biohazard bin at bedside and following the Prevention and Control of Infection standards and the established clinical policy and procedures of the department.    
• Performs the monthly inventory of all medical supplies, reviews the medical equipment preventive maintenance requirement and replenishes all the requirements as applicable. 
• Performs the daily patient room safety checks, respiratory emergency box checks and the patient room temperature and humidity checks following the established clinical policy and procedures of the hospital and the department.
• Participates in the Key Performance Improvement projects and Clinical Measures requirement for specific sections of the department.  
• Performs a follow-up audit for the turnaround time final test resulting in specific Cardiology Consultants for all diagnostic test procedures performed as per hospital and department policy.
• Prepares a monthly statistical report of all physicians who review and finally results of all the cardiology diagnostic test procedures performed in the department.

Organizational Skills:

• Reviews the patient’s cardiology diagnostic test schedules, patient daily acuity and the patients medical records before the test procedure.
• Prepares all the medical equipment required for daily cardiology diagnostic testing and performs daily functional checks and calibration before diagnostic test procedures including checking all accessories and supplies required during the test procedures.
• Identifies the correct patient, and assists the patient or the patient’s relative with the registration and billing process requirement. 
• Admits the patient to the department or visits the patient in a specified clinical area and independently performs the prescribed diagnostic test procedure.
• Provides the patient or the patient’s relative with clinical education for specific and prescribed cardiology diagnostic test procedures that include the test indications, expectations, potential complications or specific instructions during the procedure.
• Assesses the patient before the procedure and performs the prescribed cardiology diagnostic test procedures, monitors and observes the patient during the procedure and re-assesses the patient after the test procedure.
• Demonstrates competence to independently perform the cardiology diagnostic test procedure following the CPD clinical policy and guidelines that include:
  • Electrocardiography (ECG – Short Rhythm)
  • Electrocardiography (ECG – Long Rhythm)
  • Echocardiography (2D – 4D)
  • Ambulatory Holter Monitoring (24/48 hours)
  • Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor (24/48 hours)
  • External mobile Arrhythmia Monitoring 
• Assists the Cardiology Consultant perform the following advanced Cardiology Test Procedures that include:
  • Echocardiography (Exercise Stress) 
  • Echocardiography (with Dobutamine)
  • Echocardiography (Transesophageal)
  • Treadmill Stress Testing (TMT)
  • Passive and/or Augmented Tilt Table Testing
• Reviews and evaluates the quality of the cardiology preliminary report and submits all preliminary reports to the Cardiology Consultant for evaluation and final results. 
• Communicates directly with the attending or ordering physician and the Cardiology Consultant and immediately reports the sudden clinical deterioration of the patients who may require transfer admission at the American Hospital Dubais Emergency Department.  
• Discharges the patient directly from the department after the cardiology diagnostic test procedure following the hospital discharge policy and performs patient re-assessment ensuring that vital signs are checked and noted within the normal range before discharge.
• Completes the patient’s diagnostic test Order Entry in the Power Chart after each diagnostic test procedure.
• Performs a follow-up audit of specific Cardiology Consultant’s turnaround time for final test resulting in all cardiology diagnostic test procedures performed as per hospital and department policy.
• Prepares a monthly statistical report of all Cardiology Consultants who reviews and completes the final results of all diagnostic test procedures performed in the department.

Specialized Skills:

• Qualified and licensed clinical staff to provide safe patient care.
• Organized, resourceful and with strong abilities to implement and maintain the clinical and operational requirements of the department.
• Strong patient advocate and an excellent customer service-oriented individual.
• Driven and focused on maintaining the safety and quality of clinical practice following the established clinical guidelines.
• Experienced and competent to perform all aspects of cardiology diagnostic test procedures.
• Performs clinical duties and responsibilities with accuracy, as clinically indicated and as ordered by the physician.
• Strong ability and competence to operate and manage cardiology medical equipment and to maintain preventive maintenance requirements.
• Highly trained and certified to perform cardiology diagnostic procedures.
• Qualified to assist the Cardiology Consultant performing specialized or advanced clinical procedures at the bedside that include Echocardiography 2D with contrast, Stress Echocardiography, Dobutamine Echocardiography, Transesophageal Echocardiography, Treadmill Stress Testing, Tilt Table Testing and Elective Cardioversion.
• Restricted to lift or move medical supplies or medical equipment over 20 kilograms.

Qualifications

• Cardiovascular program (minimum two (2) years course duration) or
• Certificate or Diploma in Nursing, Cardiovascular Technology, Allied Health or any of the following additional diagnostic test experience that includes:
  • Electrocardiography (ECG)
  • Holter and Blood Pressure Monitoring
  • Treadmill Exercise Testing and Echocardiography
• Clinical and practical competency record of all cardiology diagnostic testing
• Current/Valid Dubai Health Authority (DHA) License
• Certified Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of two (2) years of clinical experience in Cardiovascular Diagnostic Services.
• Minimum of two (2) years of clinical experience to perform and assist basic and comprehensive electrocardiography (ECG), Echocardiography and Exercise Stress Testing, Ambulatory Holter and Blood Pressure monitoring.
• Minimum of two (2) years of clinical experience working in the adult, paediatric and neonatal, critical care units preferred.
• Skills in different areas including the outpatient clinic, the inpatient ward, the emergency department, or critical care units preferred.
• Ability to operate and troubleshoot all cardiology diagnostic test machines including the ECG, the Echocardiography, the Treadmill, the Holter and Blood Pressure monitors, and the External mobile arrhythmia monitoring system during the diagnostic test procedures is required.
• Ability and competence to operate and troubleshoot all cardiology diagnostic test machines including:
  • ECG
  • Echocardiography
  • Treadmill
  • Holter and Blood Pressure monitors
  • Trans-telephonic monitoring system during the diagnostic test procedures