[janfrn]

Our unit is one of five in Canada that provides pediatric ECLS. Our ECLS team is comprised of both RNs and RRTs; we average about 12-15 runs a year. This July we made Canadian history by transporting a child on ECLS from one city to another with an excellent outcome. Recently we became aware that our RRT ECLS specialists are being paid a specialty team allowance of (I think) $.90 an hour for the time spent on the pump (6 hour shifts). The RNs are not getting any such allowance. I'm just wondering how many ECLS teams out there have specialty team allowances for their team members, and how much they are where they exist. We're planning an uprising, so the better armed we are the more likely we are to succeed.

[heartICU]

In my (adult) CTICU, the RTs don't do anything with the pump. It is managed completely bu the RNs. We don't get an extra premium for being educated on how to manage the machine - we have tried for a while to get management to recognize that it truly is a special skill, but that's like trying to squeeze water from a rock. Good luck with trying to get it for your staff - you deserve it - it takes a special set of skills and knowledge to manage ECMO!