Senior Clinical Exercise Physiologist

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under supervision of the Operations Manager and according to established policies and procedures,
Provides direct patient assessment and management in the BMC Stress Testing Laboratories and/or Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Program.

• Knowledge of ACSM stress testing guidelines
• Evaluates patients for appropriateness of testing, patient safety, and correct type of test and protocol
• Effectively communicates pertinent information with supervising physicians, nurses, sonographers and other physiologists and ensures communication with referring physicians as needed.
• Evaluates and performs stress testing of outpatients and inpatients; including, exercise tolerance tests, stress echocardiograms, dobutamine echocardiograms, metabolic stress tests, exercise nuclear stress tests, pharmacological nuclear stress tests.
• Performs Pediatric stress testing. Exhibits knowledge of testing protocols and proper equipment usage for pediatric patients.
• Provides patient information, explains testing methods and procedures, and obtains patient consent
• Selects appropriate testing protocol according to patient clinical presentation
• Ensures recordings are of the best quality for diagnosis according to departmental practices and procedures.
• Performs ongoing clinical assessment throughout the test by monitoring cardiovascular and pulmonary parameters including symptoms, appearance, heart rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram
• Determines test duration and test termination as per BMC Stress Testing Lab Policy and ACSM guidelines
• Calculates and records all necessary parameters, and provides initial interpretation of electrocardiographic tracings for diagnostic purposes
• Creates the electronic record of exam, documentation of pertinent exam information, and data entry for charge capture
• Evaluates and communicates findings to medical personnel as required, following departmental practices and procedures
• Responds to medical emergencies for Stress Testing Labs and BMC Non Invasive Cardiovascular Laboratories, and assists-physicians according to BMC Non-Invasive Lab policy.
• Provides education and instruction to hospital personnel and students in methods and theories of stress testing
• Inserts peripheral intravenous lines as needed according to BMC Non Invasive Lab Policy

• Coordinates patient-specific imaging protocol with physician staff (Cardiology and/or Radiology)
• Maintain Radiation safety standards per BMC Radiation policy and procedure guidelines
• Enters basic pre-test patient data and imaging data into Apollo (medical history, radiopharmaceutical doses and administration time, etc.)

• Provides patient orientation to the Rehab Programs
• Reviews medical evaluation and implements treatment plan as developed by the Program Medical Director
• Develops specific exercise training program and training goals for each individual patient with reference to underlying medical conditions and risks of exercise
• Performs ongoing clinical assessment throughout sessions by monitoring all relevant cardiovascular parameters
• Coordination & scheduling of all adjunctive rehab services including behavioral medicine, social work, nutrition, and tobacco treatment
• Evaluates and manages periodic Individualized Treatment Plans to achieve comprehensive risk reduction goals, interventions, outcomes, and effectiveness
• Utilizes behavior modification techniques to implement change: goal setting, support, feedback, and patient empowerment
• Educates patients on cardiovascular/pulmonary topics including (but not limited to):
  Anatomy & Physiology, Cardiopulmonary Risk Factors, Stress Management, Exercise, and Medications.
• Assists in the scheduling of ancillary patient needs: interpreters, transportation, parking
• Completes and maintains clinical documentation of daily sessions, treatment plans, and patient discharge information, using available documentation programs.
• Analyzes cardiac rehab program outcomes for group data as a foundation for quality improvement
• Collaborates and communicates with referring providers, including the provision of a written discharge summary
• Documents and reports exercise sessions, manages appointment scheduling, and initiates and ensures charge capture processes
• Maintains Cardiac Rehab Program standards to meet American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) accreditation requirements
• Develops individual student programs including, supervision, instruction, and training all student interns
• Responds to medical emergencies for Stress Testing Laboratories and BMC Non Invasive Cardiovascular Laboratories, and assists-physicians according to BMC Non-Invasive Lab policy.
• Maintain AACVPR staff competency requirements