ECMO Specialist

Who these therapists care for

Patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, VA and VV, in cardiac and medical ICU settings.

What the shift actually looks like

One-to-one during initiation and instability — circuit monitoring, anticoagulation, troubleshooting and constant vigilance. The most technically demanding respiratory role there is.

Credentials and certifications

Typically required

RRT plus ECMO specialist training; ELSO-aligned program experience

Typical assignment

1:1 during initiation and instability

What to specify when you send the req

VA vs VV, circuit and pump in use, and whether specialists manage independently or with perfusion.

Why this role is hard to fill

A very small national pool. ECMO-trained therapists should be booked months ahead, not sourced reactively.

What candidates ask before accepting

Answering these in the req itself shortens the process considerably, because they are the questions that otherwise surface at offer stage and cause declines: VA versus VV, which pump and circuit, whether perfusion shares management, and how many cases run per year.

Contract or permanent?

Contract works well for seasonal respiratory volume, which is predictable enough to book ahead at a lower rate. Permanent is the right call for structural gaps — given the growth projections and pipeline constraints, this market is not going to loosen.

Licensure

Respiratory therapists are licensed in 49 states and there is no interstate compact, nor one in progress. Alaska becomes the fiftieth when its licensing provisions take effect in January 2027. Every cross-state hire therefore begins with a fresh application, which is why respiratory fill timelines vary far more by state than nursing timelines do.

How we work this req

Every candidate is spoken to before you see them, with licensure for your state, certifications and unit-specific competency confirmed before submittal. We screen to the credential the unit actually needs rather than the title on the posting. Rates sit inside the ranges on our published cost breakdown.