Cardiac Sonographer Specialist
UW CODE AND REPRESENTATIVE GROUP
18424 (NE S SEIU 925 HCP/LT)
22605 (NE H NI SEIU 925 HCP/LT)
BASIC FUNCTION
Independently perform professional level, highly complex diagnostic cardiac ultrasound procedures including transthoracic echo (TTE), transesophageal echo (TEE), dobutamine stress echo (DSE), and treadmill echo (TME), and performs cardiac ultrasound procedures on children, infants, neonates, and incubated premature infants requiring specialized knowledge. Acquire tomographic images of patient’s cardiac anatomy and Doppler assessment of blood flow dynamics by direct application of high frequency diagnostic ultrasound to patients to determine the nature and degree of patients heart disease.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Under general direction, perform and analyze findings of diagnostic ultrasound examinations on patients including adults, adolescents, children, infants, neonates and incubated premature infants referred for evaluation of suspected or known simple and complex congenital heart disease and/or referred for post-operative evaluation of surgical reconstruction, repair, or placement of cardiac prosthetic devices.
TYPICAL WORK
Perform echo/Doppler procedures to define complex congenital heart disorders for patients referred for evaluation of non-corrected congenital heart anatomy and function and/or evaluation of surgical reconstruction or repair;
Assist with correlation of findings with results from surgical reconstruction, repair, or placement of prosthetic devices;
Perform and analyze findings of portable TTE procedures in the NICU for newborn infants, premature infants, incubated premature infants; perform echo/Doppler procedures using proper NICU isolation sterilization techniques;
Assist with correlation of findings with results anticipated or reported from prior diagnostic fetal echo procedures;
Perform echo/Doppler procedures during invasive procedures such as providing guidance for needle extraction during pericardiocentesis; monitoring of cardiac function and hemodynamics during valvuloplasty or other therapeutic procedures; and directing bioptome placement for cardiac tissue samples during myocardial biopsy;
Perform echo/Doppler procedures on patients participating in heart and organ transplant programs including patients on mechanical “heart-assist” devices for maintaining life-support pre- or post-heart transplantation and patients requiring evaluation of heart function to determine viability for organ transplantation (liver, kidney, pancreas, lung, heart);
Provide clinical instruction and technical training in all aspects of echo/Doppler examination including theory, application, instrumentation, analysis and interpretation;
Perform the work of Cardiac Sonographer 2;
Perform related duties as required.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Current Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) certification through American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS)
OR
Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) certification through Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)
AND
One year of experience as Cardiac Sonographer I
OR
Equivalent education/experience.
CLASSIFICATION HISTORY
06/09/2000: New Class
06/01/2005: CSR Class Conversion
04/04/2023: Update MQs