Clinical Exercise Specialist - Non-Invasive Cardiology
EKG Lab/IED Clinic
Location: University of Oklahoma Medical Center
Shift: Full-Time M,T,W,F 6am-4:30pm Rotating Call one week per month
General Description:
The Clinical Exercise Specialist position will perform Clinical Exercise Testing within OU Health, including various professional and administrative duties related to cardiopulmonary stress testing. This includes but not limited to patient preparation, administration of exercise stress tests/echoes on a variety of cardiac patients in the adult population.
Essential Responsibilities:
Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position.
- Collaborates with department manager, physicians, staff, patients and family to develop and implement a coordinated plan of care.
- Performs basic to advanced-level cardiopulmonary function test administration, systems operation, patient monitoring, data analysis, and reporting in accordance with established practice standards and guidelines (e.g., American Heart Association (AHA), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP), physician protocols, manufacturer guidelines, etc.). Types of testing performed includes, but is not limited to: non-invasive measurement of cardiac output and anaerobic capacity;
measurement of O2 Sat, V02, VCO2, RER; baseline and pre/post-exercise spirometry; EKG recording, monitoring and analysis; and blood pressure recording, monitoring and analysis.
- Ensures data is documented and maintained per department policy.
- Analyses, interprets and reports the data collected during testing.
- Communicates preliminary test results and critical findings to the ordering physician and other members of the care team in accordance with prescribed policy.
- Provides individualized education and exercise plans specific to the condition and functional capacity of the patient.
- Performs routine quality inspections and calibrations of exercise lab equipment including, but not limited to: Stress exercise system, pulmonary function testing system, metabolic cart, bicycle ergometer and treadmill, blood pressure monitor, and pulse oximeter.
- Assists with coordinating routine and periodic maintenance/support services with manufacturer and third party vendor sources.
- Assists in developing and maintaining department policies, procedures, growth strategies, supply and equipment inventories, and charge-master for billing lab services.
- Assists with the review and updating of protocols and standards of care based on current research and evidence-based practice guidelines.
- Collaborates with colleagues to review and update patient and staff education programs and materials.
- Participates in departmental, staff and committee meetings
- Contributes to successful achievement and maintenance of local, state, and national accrediting or regulatory body requirements, guidelines and/or practice standards.
- Recommends and implements improvements in workflow and care delivery processes.
- Promotes and participates in education, staff development, quality improvement and research initiatives.
- Assists with patient prep for conducting maximal graded exercise testing on pediatrics and adults with congenital heart diseases in a clinical setting. (Verifying and entering patient info, attaining height/weight, reviewing current medications, applying electrodes and connecting patient to 12 lead EKG, etc.)
- Obtains resting and exercise Electrocardiograms (EKG).
- Exercise testing equipment calibration.
- Performs 12 lead Electrocardiography (EKG) recognition.
- Assists with VO2/Metabolic testing, Stress Echo’s, 6 minute walk tests (6MWT) and Pre/Post Spirometry testing (PFT).
- Assists with data entry and analysis for preliminary reports for physicians and/or research projects as necessary.
- Assists with daily quality checks on equipment and cleaning of metabolic testing items.
General Responsibilities:
- Performs other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications :
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science/Physiology, Kinesiology, or other allied health related field of study.
Experience: None required. Prior experience with exercise testing and working in cardiology setting preferred
License(s)/Certification(s)/Registration(s) Required: Current Basic Life Support issued by the American Heart Association required upon hire. ACLS (American Heart Association) required within 6 months of hire.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Exhibit good communication and interpersonal skills with people from every socioeconomic, cultural and educational background.
- Perform a variety of duties often changing from one task to another of a different nature without loss of efficiency or composure.
- Work independently, accept responsibility for the direction, control and planning of one’s own work.
- Recognize the rights and responsibilities of patient confidentiality.
- Convey empathy and compassion to those experiencing pain, physical or emotional distress and/or grief.
- Relate to others in a manner which creates a sense of teamwork and cooperation.
- Exhibit flexibility and cope effectively in an ever-changing, fast-paced healthcare environment.
- Perform effectively when confronted with emergency, critical or unusual situations.
- Maintain a customer focus and strive to satisfy the customers perceived needs.
- Knowledge of simple to complex anatomy and physiology in patients with normal cardiac or congenital cardiac anomalies. Knowledge of simple to complex cardiac rhythms and their morphology. Knowledge of the various device types and techniques utilize to diagnose and treat abnormal cardiac rhythms and cardiopulmonary abnormalities.
- Strong technical aptitude with the ability to understand, communicate and train others in the use of complex medical hardware and software as it pertains to exercise physiology and diverse disease states.
- Skill in computers and operating complex electrical devices for managing, monitoring, recording and reporting cardiopulmonary and exercise physiology data. Skilled in manipulating accurate records and a demonstrated affinity for attention to detail.
- Skilled in maintaining performance improvement and quality assurance initiatives.
- Ability to demonstrate exceptional clinical and non-clinical critical-thinking and/or problem-solving skills.
- Ability to consistently achieve or excel at demonstrating the critical behaviors, performance standards, and technical competencies defined by the organization for a role as a clinical exercise specialist.
