Clinical Exercise Physiologist

Overview

• Rockford, Illinois
• PRN/PRN Flexible Schedule

The Clinical Exercise Physiologist may be involved in Phase 1 Cardiac Rehabilitation by providing education and ambulation services to patients in the hospital setting. Responsible for timely referral follow-up and intake scheduling. Responsible for new patient orientation and assessment and subsequent treatment plan development. Consults or collaborates with other team members as needed. Serves as a case manager for a group of patients and is responsible for the application of the treatment plan, treatment plan modifications, timely progress reporting, appropriate and timely communication with other clinical staff or providers, outcome tracking, and post program assessment and discharge planning. Monitors patients during rehab sessions: blood pressure, pulse, EKG, signs and symptoms, perceived exertion, blood glucose point of care testing. May be involved in facilitating group education. May case management patients enrolled in the weight management program involving exercise/fitness assessment, prescription, exercise sessions, and follow-up. May be involved in supervising an adult group exercise sessions. May be involved in conducting fitness testing for occupational health. May be involved in assisting with student orientation and training. May be asked to help with community outreach efforts. Attends monthly department meetings and patient round meetings.

Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Patient assessment/monitoring: biometric data, EKG, medical record/patient history review, medication reconciliation, signs and symptoms, exercise tolerance, mental health status, quality of life, dietary habits.
• Exercise testing: submaximal and exercise tolerance testing, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility.
• Exercise prescription and treatment plan development. Treatment plan/exercise implementation. Identifies needed exercise modifications. Makes changes to the treatment plan per the changing needs of the patient.
• Exercise training and leadership: communicates proper execution of the exercise and use of equipment, communicates safety strategies.
• Education and behavior change: identifies educational needs, communicates health information, facilitates attendance to group education classes, patient goal setting and engagement, uses strategies like motivational interviewing and active listening to facilitate successful behavior change.
• Documentation: documents and report patient's clinical status and response to exercise training in the medical record. Completes regular progress reporting to referring providers and medical director.
• Environment: maintains safe environment by participating in infection control procedures and reporting any equipment malfunctions or environmental concerns in a timely and appropriate manner.

Education and Experience

Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Physiology or related field required.
Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology preferred.

Certification and Licensure

If no Master's Degree, Certification through ACSM (Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist) or AACVPR (Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional or Pulmonary Rehabilitation Certificate) required within 3 years.
Current BLS certification. Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) preferred.

Skills and Abilities
Interpretive/analytical skills. Effective interpersonal communication skills. Organizational skills. Windows software knowledge (Office).
Special Physical Demands

The Special Physical Demands are considered Essential Job Functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision , depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Level of Supervision

Work is performed according to specific policies and procedures and guidelines, but the incumbent must be able to make some clinical decisions independently.

Culture of Excellence Behavior Expectations

Benefits

Mercyhealth offers a generous total rewards package to eligible employees including, but not limited to:
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Mercyhealth offers a retirement plan with competitive matching contribution, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options, life and disability coverage, access to flexible spending plans, and a variety of other discounted voluntary benefit options.
• Competitive Compensation: Mercyhealth offers market competitive rates of pay and participates in various shift differential and special pay incentive programs.
• Paid Time Off: Mercyhealth offers a generous paid time off plan, which increases with milestone anniversaries, to allow employees the opportunity for a great work-life balance.
• Career Advancement: Mercyhealth offers a number of educational assistance programs and career ladders to support employees in their educational journey and advancement within Mercyhealth.
• Employee Wellbeing: Mercyhealth has a focus on wellbeing for employees across the organization and offers a number of tools and resources, such as an employer-sponsored health risk assessment and a Wellbeing mobile application, to assist employees on their wellbeing journey.
• Additional Benefits: Mercyhealth employees have access to our internal and external employee assistance programs, employee-only discount packages, paid parental and caregiver leaves, on-demand pay, special payment programs for patient services, and financial education to help with retirement planning.