title: Comparison of current practices of cardiopulmonary perfusion technology in Iran with American Society of Extracorporeal Technology's standards.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Standards have a significant role in showing the minimum level of optimal optimum and the expected performance. Since the perfusion technology staffs play an the leading role in providing the quality services to the patients undergoing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass machine, this study aimed to assess the standards on how Iranian perfusion technology staffs evaluate and manage the patients during the cardiopulmonary bypass process and compare their practice with the recommended standards by American Society of Extracorporeal Technology.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this descriptive study, data was collected from 48 Iranian public hospitals and educational health centers through a researcher-created questionnaire. The data collection questionnaire assessed the standards which are recommended by American Society of Extracorporeal Technology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings showed that appropriate measurements were carried out by the perfusion technology staffs to prevent the hemodilution and avoid the blood transfusion and unnecessary blood products, determine the initial dose of heparin based on one of the proposed methods, monitor the anticoagulants based on ACT measurement, and determine the additional doses of heparin during the cardiopulmonary bypass based on ACT or protamine titration. It was done only in 4.2% of hospitals and health centers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current practices of cardiopulmonary perfusion technology in Iran are inappropriate based on the standards of American Society of Cardiovascular Perfusion. This represents the necessity of authorities' attention to the validation programs and development of the caring standards on one hand and continuous assessment of using these standards on the other hand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Nursing, Center for Nursing Care Research, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faravan
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Australia.
authors.forename: Nooredin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Heart Valve Disease Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical & Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alizadeh Ghavidel
authors.affiliation: Heart Valve Disease Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical & Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Zia
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Toutounchi
authors.affiliation: Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical & Research Center, Cardiac Surgery Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ameneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghanbari
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Nursing, Center for Nursing Care Research, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazloomi
keywords: Cardiopulmonary bypas; Perfusion; Standard