Page 48 - ANZCP Gazette May 2023

experiences has to be the successful management of a 3-year old trauma patient whom was the first ECMO case performed at a center in Pennsylvania where I worked. Due to my Michigan experiences I was the only person in the hospital who had formal and extensive training in ECMO. I spent 53 straight hours at the patient’s bedside and we were able to successfully wean her from ECMO and discharge without morbidity. About a month later I was in the hospital’s cafeteria where the family had sought me out on a return visit, and the child gave me a huge hug which was unexpected and emotionally rewarding.
What were your coping strategies for the stresses of the life of a perfusionist?
Having a very supportive family was key, and having a number of hobbies (antique car restorations, heavy equipment operation, woodlot management) were also helpful. I was also very fortunate to coach my children’s sports teams and serve on the Pastoral Council at our church, and preside over the men’s club there. Active community involvement is a key aspect in promoting mental health for all clinicians.
If you had not entered a career in perfusion, what occupation do you think you would have pursued?
For my entire life I have been an avid outdoorsman and am always in the woods whenever possible. So probably a wildlife biologist which was one of my undergraduate degrees. As a perfusionist I worked on obtaining a PhD (not completed) in bioethics with a plan to transition from perfusion to that vocation, but life’s challenges altered that route.
What would be your message and advice for junior and emerging perfusionists?
Flexibility and an openness to change is critical. We all get caught up with life’s challenges and it is easy to lose focus on continuing to learn both by acquiring experience, and in dedicated commitment to staying abreast of peer-reviewed literature. Attending a yearly meeting may be a stepping stone to the latter, but it is just the first step and rarely fulfils the life-long quest to improve. Some of the individuals I admire most as perfusionists are humble and generous in sharing their knowledge, which is something we all should aspire towards.
What do you believe are the greatest challenges ahead for the perfusion profession?
Dealing with apathy while creating a work-life balance that favours both the patient and the perfusionist. During the past several years the unprecedented challenges we all have faced should serves as a wake-up call for self-awareness.
As a profession we need to focus on inclusivity amongst all practitioners and avoid elitism by overly emphasizing the importance of individualism, and instead look to collegiality both within our specialty and across other professions.
Is there anything that you still wish to achieve as a perfusionist?
Several years ago I was fortunate to transition from a day-to-day clinician to more of an advisory role. My day is spent serving as a resource for 1,000 individuals who are perfusionists, ECMO specialists and autotransfusionists who work together at a national perfusion company (SpecialtyCare). I have the humbling opportunity to assist these wonderful people on all aspects of care which involve extracorporeal circulation. A wonderful quote that I keep on my computer states “A call from the field is not an interruption of the daily routine: It’s the reason for the daily routine.” As I approach retirement this rather unique opportunity provides me with reflective memories of a wonderful career, and continued involvement with dedicated and committed perfusionists.
45 MAY 2023 | www.anzcp.org