Why Some Perfusion Roles Burn You Out and How to Spot the Difference Before You Accept 

When evaluating perfusion roles, most job descriptions focus on salary, benefits, and location. Those factors matter, but they rarely tell the full story. Two positions can look nearly identical on paper and create completely different day-to-day experiences. 

For perfusionists, burnout is often less about the work itself and more about the environment surrounding it. Staffing levels, call expectations, program stability, leadership decisions, and team culture all influence whether a role is sustainable over the long term. 

As the demand for perfusion services continues to grow, especially with the expansion of ECMO, VAD, and NRP and DCD programs, it’s becoming increasingly important to look beyond compensation and ask deeper questions before accepting a position. 

The Hidden Factors That Make Some Perfusion Roles Unsustainable 

According to Ben Greenfield, Recruitment Director at Epic Cardiovascular Services and Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s perfusion program, the advice he gives new graduates today is very different from what it was 20 years ago. 

Earlier in his teaching career, Ben encouraged students to pursue the busiest programs possible to maximize case exposure. Today, he emphasizes something different: longevity. 

“The burnout rate in perfusion is so great that I’ve changed how I advise students,” Ben explains. “Now, I tell them to think about what they want their life to look like five or ten years from now and find a position that supports that.” 

One of the biggest contributors to burnout is chronic understaffing. 

The perfusion profession has faced workforce shortages for years. When programs operate short-handed for extended periods, the burden doesn’t disappear. It shifts onto the clinicians who remain. 

That can mean: 

• More frequent call coverage 

• Fewer opportunities to take vacation 

• Increased pressure to cover additional procedures 

• Consistently working at maximum capacity 

• Little time to recover between demanding cases 

The challenge becomes even more pronounced as hospitals expand advanced cardiovascular programs. ECMO support, ventricular assist devices, organ procurement programs, and other specialized services require additional manpower. When those responsibilities are added without corresponding staffing support, workload increases rapidly. 

A role may offer an attractive salary, but if the program has been operating below staffing targets for years, compensation alone may not offset the long-term impact on quality of life. 

What Burnout Actually Looks Like Inside a Program 

As a travel perfusionist, Bridgett Keeley has worked across a wide variety of cardiovascular programs and has seen firsthand how burnout changes a department. 

One of the clearest warning signs is not found in a job description. It’s found in the behavior of the team. 

“A department that has been short-staffed for a long time starts to show it,” says Keeley. “People stop having energy for anything extra.” 

In healthy environments, team members support one another. They communicate, help with setup and breakdown, and share responsibilities. In struggling departments, those habits often disappear under the weight of constant workload demands. 

Bridgett has observed environments where staff members leave for the day without saying goodbye, where breaks become a source of frustration, and where colleagues become so overloaded that everyone focuses only on getting through the next case. 

Those cultural shifts are often symptoms of a larger operational problem. 

If you’re interviewing for perfusion roles, pay close attention to questions such as: 

• How long has the team been carrying open positions? 

• How often are vacations delayed or denied because of coverage concerns? 

• What does call coverage look like during staffing shortages? 

• How long have current team members been with the program? 

• What resources are available when workload increases unexpectedly? 

The answers can reveal more about your future experience than any salary figure. 

Questions to Ask Before Accepting Perfusion Roles 

Many candidates focus on case volume, compensation, and geographic location. Those are important considerations, but they should not be the only ones. 

Ben recommends evaluating the structure behind the role. 

Consider asking: 

• How is vacation coverage handled? 

If every vacation creates stress for the rest of the team, that can become a significant source of resentment and fatigue over time. 

• What happens when staffing levels drop? 

Some organizations continue operating with fewer clinicians indefinitely. Others proactively bring in temporary support to protect their permanent staff. 

• Are advanced procedures voluntary or mandatory? 

Programs with ECMO, VAD, NRP, and DCD responsibilities often require additional coverage. Understanding whether those responsibilities are distributed thoughtfully can help set realistic expectations. 

• Is there flexibility to increase or decrease workload? 

Many clinicians appreciate opportunities to earn additional income, but flexibility matters. Optional opportunities feel very different from mandatory coverage requirements. 

• How stable is the program? 

High turnover can be a signal that deeper operational challenges exist. Asking about retention rates and recent staffing history can provide valuable context. 

The best perfusion roles are not necessarily the ones with the highest salaries or the most complex case mix. They are often the positions where leadership has built a sustainable model that allows clinicians to succeed professionally without sacrificing every aspect of life outside the operating room. 

Staff vs. Contract Perfusion Roles: Looking Beyond Base Salary 

Compensation is another area where perfusionists benefit from looking beyond the headline number. 

According to Ben, staff positions often advertise higher salaries, but candidates should understand everything that comes with those roles before making comparisons. 

“In many staff positions, you’re expected to do more than just cover your scheduled cases,” Ben explains. “You may be taking frequent calls, helping cover staffing shortages, floating to affiliated hospitals, or taking on additional responsibilities that aren’t always reflected in your paycheck.” 

Those expectations can significantly impact the quality of life, especially in programs operating with lean staffing models. 

Contract perfusion roles often offer a different structure. 

Many contract positions come with clearly defined schedules, predetermined coverage expectations, and greater flexibility outside of working hours. While the annual compensation may not always appear higher at first glance, clinicians often have more control over how they spend their time. 

For some perfusionists, that flexibility creates opportunities to pursue additional income on their own terms. They may choose to take travel assignments, provide temporary coverage at other programs, or pick up extra work when it aligns with their personal goals. 

“The difference is often having a choice,” says Ben. “Some people want every opportunity to maximize income. Others value knowing exactly when they’re working and when they’re not. Neither approach is right or wrong, but it’s important to understand what you’re signing up for.” 

When evaluating opportunities, candidates should ask not only what a position pays, but also what is expected in return. Understanding call requirements, coverage obligations, travel expectations, and schedule flexibility can provide a much clearer picture of the role than salary alone. 

How Epic Cardiovascular Services Approaches Sustainable Perfusion Careers 

At Epic Cardiovascular Services, conversations about burnout are personal because the organization is led and staffed by cardiovascular professionals who understand the realities of the work firsthand. 

Rather than viewing perfusion staffing as a numbers exercise, Epic Cardiovascular Services evaluates how coverage models affect the people delivering patient care. The team’s clinical background shapes how positions are structured, how accounts are supported, and how opportunities are presented to candidates. 

One way this philosophy comes to life is through staffing models designed to support work-life balance. Epic Cardiovascular Services often utilizes travel support and additional coverage resources to help maintain stability when team members take vacation or when programs experience increased demand. This helps reduce the strain that can occur when departments operate short-staffed for extended periods. 

Epic Cardiovascular Services also recognizes that flexibility matters. Rather than automatically assigning every additional responsibility to existing staff, many opportunities for travel coverage, ECMO support, or specialized procedures are structured as optional. Clinicians can pursue additional work if they want extra income or broader experience, while maintaining focus on their primary role when personal priorities take precedence. 

The goal is to create environments where perfusionists can build sustainable, long-term careers. 

Because the Epic Cardiovascular Services team includes cardiovascular professionals, they understand the operational and clinical factors that influence burnout. Their focus is not simply filling open positions. It is helping candidates evaluate opportunities based on staffing stability, coverage expectations, team dynamics, and overall quality of life so they can make informed career decisions.

Looking Beyond the Job Description 

Burnout rarely happens because of a single difficult case or a busy week. 

More often, it develops when short staffing, excessive call expectations, and operational instability become the norm rather than the exception. 

When evaluating perfusion roles, take time to look beyond the compensation package and ask how the program functions day to day. Talk to current staff members. Ask about coverage models. Understand how the team handles growth, vacations, and unexpected workload demands. 

The answers may tell you more about your future satisfaction than any number listed in the offer letter. 

Because in perfusion, finding the right role isn’t only about where you’ll work next. It’s about finding a position that allows you to continue doing the work you love for years to come. 

If you’re exploring new perfusion roles, Epic Cardiovascular Services can help you look beyond the job description and evaluate the factors that truly impact long-term satisfaction. Our team of cardiovascular professionals understands the realities behind each opportunity and can help you find a role that supports both your career goals and your quality of life. Connect with us today to learn more about current opportunities and find the right fit for your next career move. 

About Ben 

About Bridgett