Patient Care while on ECMO

The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) continues to expand worldwide and is becoming a common method of support for critically ill patients in modern intensive care units. The day-to-day care of these patients can be extremely complex, and even simple care measures can be challenging due to the tenuous situation that these patients find themselves in when on ECMO support. From daily nursing cares, hemodynamic and neurologic monitoring, and transport of patients while on ECMO requires specialized training and understanding of how ECMO affects these practices. Inability to perform these maneuvers safely and appropriately can lead to potential morbidity and poor outcomes in this complex patient cohort.