Echo Technician Critical Care Pediatrics

Last year our HCA Healthcare colleagues invested over 156,000 hours volunteering in our communities. As an Echo Technician Critical Care Pediatrics with Methodist Hospital you can be a part of an organization that is devoted to giving back!

Job Summary and Qualifications

Working under the supervision and guidance of the Non-Invasive Director, critical care intensivist-echo technician 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 Related Characteristics:

1. Education: ANY 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 3 years practicing as an echo/cardiac ultrasound sonographer

2) Minimum 1 year 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, Mmode, 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.

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

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

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

5. Demonstrates technical proficiency for echocardiograms.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

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 benefits for medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, behavioral health and telemedicine services
• Wellbeing support, including free counseling and referral services
• Time away from work programs for paid time off, paid family leave, long- and short-term disability coverage and leaves of absence
• Savings and retirement resources, including a 401(k) Plan with a 100% match on 3% to 9% of pay (based on years of service), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, flexible spending accounts, preferred banking partnerships, retirement readiness tools, rollover support and financial wellbeing counseling
• Education support through tuition assistance, student loan assistance, certification support, dependent scholarships and a partnership with Galen College of Nursing
• Additional benefits for fertility and family building, adoption assistance, life insurance, supplemental health protection plans, auto and home insurance, legal counseling, identity theft protection and consumer discounts

Learn more about Employee Benefits

Note: Eligibility for benefits may vary by location.

Methodist Hospital opened in 1963 as the first hospital in the now internationally acclaimed South Texas Medical Center. With over 900 beds, Methodist Hospital offers a broad range of specialties including cardiology, oncology, bone marrow transplants, emergency medicine, neurosciences, maternity care, gynecology and orthopedics. We are proud to be the largest provider of the lifesaving ECMO Program in San Antonio, are home to the largest robotics program in the world, and our Adult Blood Cancer and Stem Cell Transplant unit has become the first program to receive FACT Accreditation in North America.

As the flagship hospital, and most comprehensive medical care facility of Methodist Healthcare, we appreciate the support and recognition we receive from the community. We’ve recently been named the No.1 Best Regional Hospital by the U.S. News and World Report for 2019-20. We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality of care possible for our patients, which is proven by our consecutive Grade A Leapfrog Hospital Safety scores. In addition, Methodist Hospital not only received a Primary Stroke Center designation from The Joint Commission, but has also received a Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification from DNV GL Healthcare, designating the facility as offering the most advanced stroke treatment available in a given geographic area. For more information, please visit our website at www.sahealth.com and select Methodist Hospital under Locations.

"There is so much good to do in the world and so many different ways to do it."- Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr.
HCA Healthcare Co-Founder

Be a part of an organization that invests in you! We are reviewing applications for our Echo Technician Critical Care Pediatrics opening. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews. Submit your application and help us raise the bar in patient care!

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.