The cardiac MRI team is seeking an experienced sedation nurse to join us at  Children’s National Heart Institute.  Our specialized hybrid MRI suite combines MRI and cardiac catheterization, allowing us to obtain detailed diagnostic images and perform cardiac catheterizations in the least invasive, safest way possible.

In a partnership with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, we're also enhancing the safety of imaging through MRI. The joint team’s work will translate clinically to more streamlined use of MRI, which is radiation-free. The initiative seeks to enhance the speed and quality of MRI machines and reduce the need to sedate children getting an MRI; increasing the capability of MRI to take fetal images; developing better, pediatric-specific catheters for probing the heart and blood vessels; and incorporating an incubator into an MRI scanner to enable procedures on premature babies.

Our heart team is pioneering new ways to harness the power of MRI, so we can provide you with the safest, most effective diagnosis and treatment possible. In our hybrid suite, we combine the powerful imaging technology of an MRI with the precision and detail of the catheterization lab.

Features of our cardiac MRI hybrid suite include:

• Minimal exposure to radiation. Traditional cardiac catheterization uses radiation. While we always use the lowest dose possible, we are working to minimize radiation exposure even more. By using MRI technology to guide a catheterization procedure, we are able to obtain detailed images with minimal or no radiation exposure.  
• 3-D images. The 3-D MRI technology allows us to take the images we get from the MRI study and view them from every angle. This gives us more information about the patient's condition, helping us treat them more efficiently.
• Specialized team. Our team consists of pediatric specialists who have dedicated their careers to pediatric heart care. Our experienced cardiac MRI technologists have extensive training in pediatric cardiac imaging. While many heart programs are adult-centered and may also treat children, our focus is entirely on treating infants, children, and adolescents.
• Convenient. If a patient needs both an MRI and a catheterization procedure, we may be able to perform them at the same time if the patient meets certain criteria. This reduces the amount of sedation required. 
• Comprehensive evaluation. Echocardiography, an ultrasound for the heart, is a popular, safe diagnostic tool. However, as children get physically bigger, the echo may be less effective. We use cardiac MRI extensively for adolescents and adults with congenital heart disease because it offers the most comprehensive, detailed evaluation available.  
• Next level of cardiac care. Our team continues to investigate and advance the field of cardiac imaging. We are one of the few hospitals in the world working on capabilities that will allow us to do cardiac interventional procedures in the MRI suite. This will lead to the most minimally invasive and effective procedure forour patients. 

We use cardiac MRI to diagnose congenital heart defects and provide noninvasive evaluation for complex conditions, such as:

• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Coarctation of the aorta, a narrowing of the aorta
• Certain rhythm abnormalities (arrhythmias)
• Cardiomyopathies, diseases of the heart muscle
• Single ventricle defects, a condition affecting one of the lower chambers of the heart

Radiology Sedation Nursing encompasses the care of the patient and family/legal guardian. Pre-sedation, sedation, monitoring, and post sedation services are provided to care for a range of ages from infants to adults. The Radiology Sedation Nurse is responsible for the sedation needs of the patient in collaboration with anesthesiologists and radiologists. In addition to the sedation activities, the radiology sedation nurses care for the acute and critically ill patient population during radiology exams and procedures and collaboration with the radiology team to facilitate patient flow through the scheduled exams or procedures. Patient care activities include peripheral and central line access, Contrast administration, urinary catheterizations, assessing/triaging phone consults and requests, pre-procedure patient and family education and support during the exam or procedure. The radiology teams welcome the nursing lead on safety and emergency equipment checks and regulatory compliance responsibilities.

• Contribute to Magnet re-designation as evidenced by independent involvement or leadership in: committees, task forces and/or community outreach.

• Role model critical thinking skills by problem-solving patient care and unit/system issues.

• Communication reflects development of plan of care and ability to advocate to meet patients’ needs; makes suggestions for resolution of system issues.

• Role model procedures for escalation of issues; utilize chain of command.

• Demonstrate proper use of identified hand off processes; follow up on inconsistent practice related to handoff.

• Demonstrate a collegial and respectful relationship with peers, physicians and other departments.

• Take the lead in implementing change and support management decisions.

• Role model behavior that reflects empathy, concern and a desire to help others.

• Independently leads the patient care sedation activities to ensure patient safety during the radiology exam or procedure.

• Independently maintain regulatory requirements e.g. license, BLS.

• Initiate professional activities to enhance nursing practice.

• Engage in active review of peers giving constructive feedback through timely participation in evaluations.

• Role model adherence to national safety standards and service excellence standards; champion advancement of education and certification.

• Orchestrate involvement of the healthcare team and role model professional behavior and teamwork with co-workers.

• Serve as a resource as needed and know when to escalate to next level.

• Analyze assessment data gathered from patient and family to ensure completion of database and plan of care within identified timeframes working in collaboration with the radiology and anesthesia teams.

• Role model excellent clinical skills with complex patients; care reflects analysis of patient status and appropriate interventions related to sedation activities and recovery phases.

• Direct prioritization and organization for complex patient with rapidly changing needs to include the outpatient population, the acute care patients, critically ill patients, and the Emergency Department patients.

• Documentation exemplifies adherence to the highest standards of practice.

• Anticipate and proactively plan for educational needs; verify with patient and family throughout the hospital/outpatient stay and prior to discharge.

• Excel in organizational skills, adjust for changes and be able to complete assignment on time to facilitate the scheduled patients efficiently.

• Role model caring in all encounters with patient and family as evidenced by feedback from parents and an increase in patient satisfaction scores.

• Communication and education to patients and families reflects clear expectations of expected outcomes during the pre-sedation, sedation, and post-sedation activities.

• Communication and education to patients and families reflects clear expectations of expected outcomes during the scheduled radiology exam or procedure.

• Initiate ways to improve operations through quality improvement and implement related solutions.

• Serve as a resource for current, new information or changes in specialty area.

• Care incorporates best practices based on benchmarks and evidence within the literature.

• Participates in a Professional Organization related to sedation, radiology, and/or pediatric nursing.

• Mentor and precept new nurses in clinical specialties.

• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance

• Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation

• Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation

• Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication

• Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers

• Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance

• Partner in the mission and upholds the core principles of the organization

• Committed to diversity and recognizes value of cultural ethnic differences

• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity

• Maintain confidentiality at all times

• Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met

• Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior

• Partner with all team members to achieve goals

• Receptive to others’ ideas and opinions

• Contribute to a positive work environment

• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change

• Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes

• Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment

• Use resources efficiently

• Search for less costly ways of doing things