I'm a perfusionist......fancy term for someone who operates a heart/lung machine for cardiopulmonary bypass procedures). Primarily work in the O.R., but do some time in the cath lab and ICU. Primarily do open heart cases (Aortic and mitral valves, coronary artery bypass grafts, torn aortas, etc). Do blood salvage as well, as well as hypothermic rewarming and ECMO (rewarming drunks who've passed out in the snow and ECMO is for those who have failing lungs on an acute basis).
Been doing it for 25+ years, but I'm thinking of getting out of the field.....company I work for wants to "maximize" profits, which means I've gone from being on call one week out of three to 4 weeks out of 5. Used to be the surgeons/docs used to listen to our concerns/opinions; nowadays they just want someone to turn knobs. Job market is quite depressed right now....other techniques, such as cardiac stents, have really decreased the need for open heart surgery.
Sorry............didn't mean to make it a bummer post; been a rough couple of years for me.
