Lipscomb University Cardiovascular Perfusion Technical Standards
The primary mission of the Lipscomb University Cardiovascular Perfusion program is to provide an educational environment characterized by academic excellence and Christian faith, where students are prepared to optimize patient outcomes in an ethical and compassionate manner.
The professional program leading to a Master of Science (MS) degree and eligibility for licensure and certification requires a certain level of cognitive, behavioral and technical skill and ability inherent to the profession. These principles and standards hold for admission, progression, and completion of the program.
The primary role of the perfusionist is to provide safe and effective healthcare to the patients served. Patient safety must be considered in the selection and education of student perfusionists. As well, the Cardiovascular Perfusion program has a responsibility to maintain as safe an environment as possible for its student and the practice settings in which they receive education. Perfusion student must reasonably contribute to a safe environment through their personal, physical, and mental health or social behavior.
All perfusion students are expected to successfully fulfill the same core educational requirements. Reasonable education-related accommodations will be provided, where possible and within Lipscomb University guidelines. Perfusion students need to possess the skills and abilities, with or without accommodations that will allow successful fulfillment of the requirements necessary to complete the program. Students who graduate from the program will be cardiovascular perfusionists without restrictions on their practice; therefore, the curriculum requires students to successfully complete all core components of the program and does not allow perfusion students to take part in a limited set of required activities.
Lipscomb University Cardiovascular Perfusion program will consider for admission any candidate who demonstrates the ability to perform or learn to perform the skills listed in this document. Candidates are not required to disclose the nature of their disabilities, if any, to the Admissions Committee. Any candidate who has questions about the ability to satisfy these technical standards is strongly encouraged to discuss the issue with the Cardiovascular Perfusion program recruiter, program director and student affairs prior to the application or interview process in order to determine whether or not reasonable accommodations can be made.
Certain chronic or recurrent illnesses and problems that interfere with patient care, safety or required class attendance may be incompatible with cardiovascular perfusion training or practice. Other conditions that may lead to a high likelihood of student illness should be carefully considered. Candidates must, demonstrate the emotional stability to be able to exercise sound judgment, and carry out prompt completion of all of the responsibility’s attendant to the care of their patients in a sensitive and effective manner. Deficiencies in knowledge base, judgment, integrity, character or professional attitude or demeanor, which may jeopardize patient care, may be grounds for course/rotation failure and possible dismissal. Therefore, reassessment of individual’s ability to meet the technical standards will be an ongoing process throughout the duration of the program.
Lipscomb University Cardiovascular Perfusion program adheres to technical standards by which it assesses all students, with or without accommodation. A candidate must meet all criteria noted regarding the five following areas: 1) observation; 2) sensory and motor coordination; 3) communication; 4) cognitive ability and 5) behavioral and social attributes. Failure to meet all components in each of the five areas may result in a student’s dismissal. Each case will be reviewed on an individual basis by the appropriate College personnel.
The following technical standards describe the essential functions students must possess and demonstrate in order to fulfill the requirements of a general perfusion education, and thus, are prerequisites for entrance, continuation and graduation.
Observation: The ability to critically observe demonstrations, experiments and patients using visual, auditory and somatic senses.
- Observe lectures, demonstrations, experiments and practice-based activities
- Observe anatomic, physiologic and pharmacological demonstrations
- Observe patient vitals accurately at a distance and close at hand
- Independently read information on a computer screen at an appropriate rate to complete duties and assignments as required
- Remain fully alert and attentive at all times in clinical settings
- Visually evaluate patient signs and symptoms for the purposes of monitoring life support and other perfusion related therapies
- Listen for indicators of equipment disruption or failure
Sensory and Motor Coordination: Use of the body associated with mental activity.
- Visually evaluate patient hemodynamics, life support equipment preparations and instrumentation quality control and patient data
- Prepare and administer cardioplegia, anesthetic agents, chemotherapy and other pharmaceuticals
- Perform CPR
- Perform thermal manipulations
- Participate in “on call” schedule and perform during non-schedule emergency situations to include weekdays, weekends and holidays.
- Transfer life support and other perfusion related equipment and supplies
- Assemble and prepare life support and other perfusion related equipment
- Demonstrate safe and aseptic handling of sterile preparations and circuitry
- Assess and administer blood and blood products
- Safely and effectively operate equipment (e.g., Heart/Lung machines, ventricular assist devices, autotransfusion devices, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation equipment, laboratory instrumentation, computer keyboard)
Communication: Imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs
- Communicate effectively, proficiently and appropriately in the English language
- Document activities as required by the rotation site and cardiovascular perfusion program
- Speak, listen, and read to elicit vital patient information
- Effectively communicate with instructors, peers, and patients
- Communicate professionally with other health care providers and patients
- Organize ideas and develop thoughts into coherent, appropriately written, and referenced essays, research papers, and perfusion care plans
- Interpret non-verbal communication (body language) from peers, patients, instructors, and members of a health care team
- Utilize appropriate resources for communication with non-English
Cognitive Ability: Mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning
- Accurately administer life support and other perfusion related therapies
- Solve problems involving measurement, calculations, reasoning, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation
- Perform rapid algebraic calculations for a variety of patient care situations
- Effectively multi-task to ensure patient, surgical and ancillary requirements are accomplished in a timely manner
- Gather and evaluate information from multiple sources to develop perfusion treatment and monitoring plans in a timely manner
- Demonstrate evidence-based decision-making
- Synthesize knowledge and integrate relevant information
Behavioral and Social Attributes – Characteristics of experience, behavior, and interaction with people in didactic and experiential settings
- Demonstrate maturity, emotional stability and capability to adapt to changing environments
- Demonstrate persistence and flexibility in all situations
- Engage in help seeking behavior when appropriate
- Utilize constructive coping strategies to manage stress
- Seek personal, professional or academic support to address personal limitations
- Display positive self-esteem and confidence when working with others (e.g., patients, instructors and other clinicians)
- Perform competently under physical, mental and emotional stress
- Accept appropriate suggestions and criticism and respond, if necessary
- Exhibit a respect for diversity and justice
- Act in a manner that respects all individuals
- Individualize care with considerations for cultural norms for the patient
- Provide care without judgment
- Seek justice in the distribution of health care resources
- Demonstrate ethical behavior as described in the Code of Ethics for perfusionists
- Maintain professional competence through lifelong learning
- Act with honesty and integrity in professional relationships
- Respect the dignity, confidentiality, and autonomy of each patient
- Serve individual, community, and societal needs
The Cardiovascular Perfusion program remains committed to student diversity and individual rights, with a strong commitment to full compliance with state and federal laws and regulations including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Candidates with disabilities are reviewed individually, on a case-by-case basis. Admitted candidates with disabilities are reviewed individually, with complete and careful consideration of all the skills, attitudes, and attributes to determine whether there are any reasonable accommodations or available options that would permit the candidate to satisfy the standards. An accommodation is not reasonable if it poses a direct threat to the health or safety of self and/or others, if making it requires a fundamental alteration to the nature of the program, if it lowers academic standards, or poses an undue administrative or financial burden. Except in rare circumstances, the use by the candidate of a third party (e.g., an intermediary) to perform any of the functions described in the Technical Standards set forth above would constitute an unacceptable substantial modification.
Cardiovascular perfusion students who desire disability services or accommodations should make their request known through the Office of Student Affairs. An appointment will be scheduled to discuss the needed services. The perfusion student will be required to present appropriate documentation for the disability and information regarding any past accommodations provided that have been successful. Questions regarding the technical standards, the process for requesting accommodations or eligibility requirements may be directed to the Cardiovascular Perfusion recruiter, program director and student affairs at any point prior to admission, during the admission process or after enrollment in the program. The appropriate college administrators will evaluate each request to determine eligibility for services.