Highly Specialist Cardiac Physiologist (Echocardiographer)

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Job Summary

This position is for a BSE accredited (or equivalent), independently reporting echocardiographer. The post holder will perform their own transthoracic echo lists and provide reports and expert opinions to other health professionals. The post holder will perform studies within a specialist area of echocardiography (e.g. stress echo, bubbles, or TOE) and will be expected to contribute to non-clinical projects as required (e.g. QA and audit, infection control, machine and IT maintenance or stock control).

Key Relationships

The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team consisting of physiologists, echocardiographers, consultant cardiologists, junior doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, clerical and administrative staff and our porter. The post will involve training physiologists and doctors and the post holder will be expected to act as a role model and mentor to the trainees.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Professional / Clinical responsibilities
• Perform transthoracic echocardiograms to a high standard in accordance with BSE guidelines and department minimum standards.
• Identify and advise when transthoracic echocardiography is insufficient to answer the clinical question and proactively suggest and arrange alternative/additional investigations.
• Produce an accurate and comprehensive report for each study,
• Ensure that personal knowledge base is current to reflect change in clinical echocardiography.
• Depending on previous experience or agreed internal training programme and sign off, perform specialist echo to a high standard as follows:
  •    Assist with transoesophageal echocardiograms including record keeping (in particular probe infection control measures), interpretation and patient care.
  •    Perform stress echocardiograms (exercise and pharmacological) and assist with all aspects of the procedure including record keeping, interpretation and patient safety.
  •    Perform 3D echocardiograms with appropriate record keeping, interpretation and archiving.
  •    Perform contrast/bubble contrast echocardiography including keeping adequate stock levels of consumables, record keeping, interpretation and patient safety.
  •    Perform complex dyssynchrony studies pre and post device implant including appropriate analysis and archiving.
  •    Perform complex adult congenital studies including record keeping, interpretation and patient care.
  •    Perform research studies as required with appropriate record keeping, interpretation and archiving.
  •    Perform other highly specialist technical and specialist technical roles as required including ECG interpretation.
  •    To assist in protocol development and maintenance to agreed national, international or local standards in liaison with the Head of Echocardiography and the Clinical Lead for Echo and Non Invasive Cardiology.
  •    To assist with triaging echo requests for appropriateness and relevancy, prioritising caseload depending on clinical urgency on a rotational basis.
  Teaching and professional development
  •    Train physiologists, cardiology registrars, intensivists, general practitioners to BSE individual accreditation standard, taking professional responsibility for the trainees’ studies.
  •    Teach other echocardiographers to a standard of excellence within post holder’s specialist area.
  •    Teach cardiac registrars to basic level including signing off their studies.
  •    Maintain own CPD as directed by Trust guidelines, including Performance Development Review (PDR) and mandatory training commensurate with the role.
  •    Update own CPD to meet BSE reaccreditation standard.
  •    Support other staff in acquiring CPD.
  Management and leadership
  •    Manage own workload routinely and that of other staff members when necessary.
  •    Write and implement the echo department rota on a rotational basis.
  •    Monitor inpatient waiting lists and ensure any delays or shortfalls in service are promptly reported to the Head of Echocardiography and assist in taking remedial action.
  •    Manage stock within specialist area.
  •    Organise equipment maintenance within specialist area.
  •    Lead a small team within specialist area.
  •    Represent specialist area at departmental meetings.
  •    To assist in the recruitment of cardiac physiologists/clinical scientists and to identify and implement retention strategies in conjunction with the Head of Echocardiography and Principal Cardiac Physiologist.
  •    To support the Head of Echocardiography in implementing Trust initiatives and strategies within the Directorate.
  •    To manage own time to ensure balance between clinical and administrative duties.
  Information Management
  •    Use Trust and department software to analyse, report and archive studies appropriately.
  •    Provide data for audit projects and contribute towards department QA process.
  •    To contribute to the development of research within cardiology, ensuring that requirements are adhered to and data is saved according to protocol.

General

The post holder will be expected to undertake any duties, commensurate with grade, that are necessary for the smooth running of the directorate.

The post holder is required to follow Trust policies and procedures which are regularly updated including:

 To ensure that all clinical duties are carried out in such a manner as to ensure safety and compliance with any locally agreed protocols.