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OaSIS 2025 Version 1.0
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32103.02 – Clinical perfusionists

Clinical perfusionists provide technical support to patients undergoing cardiac surgery and patients requiring cardio-respiratory support. Clinical perfusionists who are supervisors or instructors are included in this occupation.

Overview

Example job titles

  • Cardiovascular perfusion supervisor
  • Cardiovascular perfusionist
  • Certified clinical perfusionist (CCP)
  • Clinical perfusionist
  • Perfusionist

Core competencies

  • Monitoring to monitor vital signs to maintain patients' physiological functions during cardiopulmonary surgery
  • Operation Monitoring of Machinery and Equipment to work with heart-lung machines and other devices to administer blood products, drugs and other substances as directed by cardiac surgeons and anesthetists
  • Multi-Signal Response to react to simultaneous alarms, lights and readings on complex life-support systems in order to maintain precise control of blood flow and oxygenation under critical conditions
  • Selective Attention to prioritize critical information or changes in patient status to ensure safety and quick responses during procedures
  • Attention to Detail to closely observe vital signs, such as blood pressure, oxygen levels and heart function, ensuring patients remain stable during surgery
  • Knowledge in Physical Health to understand and manage the complex physiological needs of patients undergoing cardiac surgery or requiring cardio-respiratory support

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Assemble, maintain and operate extracorporeal circulation equipment, intra-aortic balloon pumps and other heart assist devices to support or temporarily replace patients' cardiopulmonary functions during open-heart surgery
  • Administer blood products, drugs and other substances through heart-lung machines and other devices as directed by cardiac surgeons and anaesthetists to maintain adequate flow of oxygenated blood to all organs of the body
  • Monitor vital signs to support and maintain patients' physiological functions and metabolic needs during cardiopulmonary surgery
  • Participate in routine maintenance, calibration and inspection of all perfusion related equipment
  • Supervise and train student clinical perfusionists and other clinical perfusionists.

Additional information

  • Supervisory and instructor positions in this unit group require experience in their respective fields as a respiratory therapist, clinical perfusionist or cardiopulmonary technologist.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Other medical technologists and technicians (32129)
  • Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment (32109)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

3 – Health occupations

TEER

2 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of two or more years; or supervisory occupations

Major group

32 – Technical occupations in health

Sub-major group

321 – Technical occupations in health (except practitioners of natural healing)

Minor group

3210 – Technical occupations in therapy and assessment

Unit group

32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists

Occupational profile

32103.02 – Clinical perfusionists

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.