Every high-stakes field with life-or-death patient responsibility has a universal standard: one name is documented as the primary operator. Perfusion and MCS have never had this. The MCS Registry changes that.
| Field | Standard |
|---|---|
| Aviation | Pilot in Command — one name in the logbook |
| Surgery | Surgeon of record — primary operator documented |
| Anesthesia | Attending of record — CRNA assist does not count |
| Nursing | Primary nurse of record — presence does not equal responsibility |
| Perfusion / ECMO | Who was specifically responsible — one name |
In every field above, an assistant, observer, or trainee does not earn the primary operator's hours — even if they were present.
At any given moment, one person is specifically responsible for a patient's mechanical circulatory support. That person's name should be documented. That person earns the hours.
Not the fellow who was watching. Not the nurse who set up the circuit. Not the resident who documented the time. The person who was responsible — at that moment, for that patient.
The MCS Registry exists to create that documentation standard for our field, and to recognize the clinicians who have done the work.
A career perfusionist and clinical educator with three decades of operating room experience across CPB, ECMO, NRP, and VAD support. Founder of MCSR™ LLC, based in Charleston, SC.
Join the growing community of MCS clinicians establishing the standard.
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