Card Rehab

Primary Purpose: To provide quality patient care while following all the standards of care and maintaining a safe environment for individuals with both known and a strong potential risk for developing cardiac disease.                                 

Formal Policy-Setting Responsibilities: Formally responsible for providing input into policies associated with the job’s purpose and essential responsibilities.                                   

Routine Decision Making: Evaluation of physical changes, vital signs and weight gain which require follow-up care or treatment; evaluate patients tolerance and the need to advance or decrease exercise METS; evaluate cardiac monitor for changes; and evaluate new potential participants level of readiness to enter the Cardiac Rehab program.                                        

Formal Supervisory Responsibility: No formal supervisory responsibility. EP & new staff in orientation.   

Required Knowledge: Recognition of life threatening cardiac dysrhythmias; cardiac disease knowledge which include normal and abnormal findings and treatments; exercise prescription for various disease and physical restrictions; education material to share with public and participants; insurance requirements; and the Telemetry Monitoring System’s information and procedure, troubleshooting of equipment, use of ACLS equipment.                                     

Required Skills and Ability: Ability to use telemetry monitoring system; general office equipment; Quinton Treadmill, Schwinn Airdyne; Nu-step, Arm Ergometer, Portable 02; PreCor; Windjammer; free weights and ability to use AS400.                                               

Unusual Working Conditions: Risk of blood, body fluid contamination.

Interacts professionally with Patients and Family members using AIDET.                                 

Age Specific Competencies: Provides care for adult patients between 18 to 64 years; and geriatric patients 65 years and older.

PART TWO: Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

A.            Maintains a safe environment of care.  Plans, implements and evaluates patients receiving procedures for safety. (50% of time)                                                    

1.            Ensures all potential cardiac rehab participants have received an assessment and admission prior to beginning their program.                                                  

2.            Evaluates assessment on all patients prior to their daily exercise session and revises their plan of care as indicated.                                                           

3.            Interprets physiological information from technical equipment, physical examination and personal interviews.                                                               

4.            Documents the findings from all assessments, evaluations and implementations on the patient’s records daily and as needed.                                                

5.            Reports all critically abnormal assessments to their physician. Right away.                            

6.            Maintains current ACLS and BLS certifications, plus ensures the code cart is in working order daily when Cardiac Rehab is in session.

B.            Provides patient education. (25% of time)                                                          

1.            Provides formal or informal education which assist in lifestyle modification for Cardiac Rehab participants.                                                               

2.            Attends  required classes for maintaining certification requirements annually which aid in maintaining current information for the Cardiac Rehab program.                                                       

3.            Assess the educational program at least twice annually with on-going Performance Improvement reports.

C.            Provide continuity of care. (15% of time)                                                            

1.            Attends or reviews at least 60% of monthly department meetings which collaborates with Medical Director and co-workers.                                                              

2.            Assesses individual patient outcomes at least monthly.                                  

3.            Documents each patient's concerns on patient’s daily flow sheet and chart’s hard copy report.   

4.            Reports to Cardiac Rehab Manager any reportable situations and nursing unit needs as needed.

5.            Assists as needed with orientation of new employees, students, and volunteers.               

D.            Responds to special patient needs. (10% of time)                                                            

1.            Keeps practitioner informed daily of critical values, problems, and concerns.  These issues are documented on participant’s chart during the current work day.

2.            Displays critical thinking skills with daily documentations of identified complications as needed.

3.            Ensures social, religious, cultural, and/or physical barriers are documented on both the patient’s initial assessment and daily flow sheet.

Education and Certification/ Registration required for the Position: Two to four-year RN degree; currently licensed in the state of Missouri; ACLS/BLS required.  Experience in critical care or experience with cardiac dysrhythmias preferred.