Perfusionist At Emergency – Life Support for Civilian War Victims

Country: Sudan

Required languages: English

Type of contract: Fixed-term contract – paid (6 months)

Necessary requirements: Degree in Clinical Perfusion; at least 3 years’ experience in Cardiac Surgery Centres.

This role requires complete autonomy in performing cardiovascular perfusion techniques for adult and paediatric patients.

BACKGROUND AND ORGANISATION OF WORK

The International Perfusionist is part of the medical-surgical team at the Salam Centre, which is composed by international specialists working alongside national personnel in training.
He/She is responsible to an international technical expert (Team Leader) and to the Medical Coordinator, who is in charge of the management and organisation of the project.

The main areas of work are:

• OPERATING THEATRES: 3 operating theatres equipped to carry out Cardiac Surgery;
• CATH LAB: 1 cardiac catheterisation laboratory fully equipped to carry out diagnostic and therapeutic interventions;
• INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: 15 fully equipped beds (2 isolation beds).

The Centre has the capacity to carry out up to 5-6 operations per day, 5 days a week. A variable number of international technical specialists are present, at times accompanied by personnel in training. On-call duty includes nights and holidays.

DUTIES AND REPONSIBILITIES

All EMERGENCY international staff is expected to know and follow the hospital admissions criteria, guide lines, protocols, and the diagnosis and treatment standards in use in the Centre, and to ensure the correct compilation of clinical records and statistics in both computer and paper formats.

The main duties and responsibilities of the international Perfusionist are:

• management of the cardiopulmonary bypass pump (heart-lung machine), the cell saver, and the intra-aortic balloon pump equipment;
• participation in the discussion of proposed surgical interventions with the cardiologist and cardiac surgeon colleagues;
• to collaborate with the medical personnel in the planning of cardiac surgical interventions;
• assisting in clinical research and record keeping as required by the scientific programmes of the specialist sector of the Medical Division of EMERGENCY.

MANAGEMENT OF ORDERS

The international Perfusionist is responsible for checking that the provisions of materials and apparatus are always adequate in terms of quantity and quality, and for informing the Team Leader and/or Medical Coordinator of any requirements.

MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING OF LOCAL PERSONNEL

Clinical activities and patient care are always carried out alongside and in collaboration with local personnel, who thus benefit from training in the field. There is also provision for more specific teaching activities, managed by the international specialists, in accordance with the clinical protocols in use and as agreed with the Medical Coordinator.

CASELOAD AND EQUIPMENT

“SALAM” CENTRE FOR CARDIAC SURGERY – Khartoum, Sudan

Patients with every type of congenital and acquired heart disease present at the Centre. The caseload is extremely varied and may at times be pre-selected according to the experience of the specialists present in a given period. Most patients presenting at the hospital are seriously compromised: the main cause of this is that the health care system and therefore treatment, both in the country and in the region as a whole, is fee-paying.

Since 2007 the Salam Centre has been the only completely free cardiac surgery centre in the region. The Centre forms the scientific and operational nucleus of a web of paediatric clinics situated in neighbouring countries which also carry out screening and follow-up for both adult and paediatric cardiac surgery patients.
The most common pathologies treated are valvular cardiopathy of rheumatic origin (RHD – Rheumatic Heart Disease), congenital heart disease suitable for surgical treatment and ischaemic heart disease in the non-acute phase; over the past 10 years of activity (2008 – 2017) around 55.5% of patients admitted have been under 26 years of age.

Due to the advanced level of work carried out, the equipment available and technical, architectural and managerial innovations, the Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery is considered a centre of excellence at an international level.

GUIDELINES, PROTOCOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Further information on the guidelines, protocols and clinical services relevant to the post along with details of the instruments and equipment available will be provided at interview and during the period of preparation for the mission.
The general requirements and conditions apply to all the international staff.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Degree, post-graduate diploma or equivalent certification in Clinical Perfusion, with professional accreditation and registration in your Country of residence;
• at least 3 years’ relevant professional experience;
• experience in Cardiac Surgery centres.

REQUIRED AVAILABILITY

From January 2025 – 6 months’ overseas stay including a period of leave to be taken at the end of the mission in agreement with the coordinator. Shorter missions may only be considered for specific needs as defined by the organisation.