Clinical Exercise Physiologist

Lehigh Valley Health Network • Allentown, PA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Exercise Physiologist supervises and oversees inpatient and/or outpatient stress testing or exercise and physical fitness testing in lieu of physician presence. The role assesses the cardiovascular and metabolic effects of exercise on cardiac and/or high-risk patients and collaborates with physicians and other health care team members to deliver high-quality diagnostic tests and interventions.

The position determines appropriate stress exercise protocols based on a patient’s medical history, evaluation, resting EKG, and test indication; prepares and monitors patients throughout testing; evaluates physiological and hemodynamic responses; recognizes abnormal responses and testing endpoints; and integrates exercise-testing data into documentation for physician interpretation. The role may also perform Holter monitor scan analysis, support the onboarding of employees and student interns, and provide education on exercise, health, and lifestyle modification.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Exercise Science or Exercise Physiology.
• Strong knowledge of cardiac anatomy and physiology and hemodynamic responses to exercise, including endpoints for testing or intervention.
• Strong knowledge of cardiac exercise protocols and ability to select the most appropriate protocol for patient stress testing or intervention.
• Strong knowledge of cardiac rhythms and arrhythmia recognition.
• Critical-thinking and judgment skills, including the ability to evaluate patient responses to exercise during testing or intervention.
• Ability to multitask and work well under stress and in emergency situations.
• Ability to work interdependently.
• Ability to use PC software programs.
• Ability to develop individualized exercise prescriptions for cardiac, pulmonary, and vascular patients based on clinical assessment results and/or exercise stress tests.
• Ability to evaluate patient responses to exercise conditioning.
• Strong educational teaching abilities for individual and group patient education, as indicated.
• Strong knowledge of cardiac risk factors and lifestyle modifications.
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support), State of Pennsylvania.
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support, State of Pennsylvania, upon hire.
• ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist or equivalent stated ACSM certification, State of Pennsylvania, within 1 year; or CCRP (Certified Cardiac Rehab Professional), AACVPR, State of Pennsylvania, within 1 year.

Nice To Haves

• Clinical internship in diagnostic stress testing with a diseased population.
• Basic and advanced ECG courses, including performance of 12-lead ECG evaluation and dysrhythmia recognition.
• One year of cardiovascular stress testing experience or one year of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation experience.

Responsibilities

• Determine the appropriate stress exercise protocol based on the patient’s medical history, evaluation, resting EKG, and test or intervention indication.
• Recognize indications and contraindications for stress testing or intervention.
• Communicate with physicians when questions arise about the ordered stress type, intervention appropriateness, or changes in the patient’s condition.
• Prepare patients for testing or intervention, explain the procedure, confirm patient understanding, and place leads properly.
• Supervise patients during inpatient and/or outpatient treadmill exercise stress, nuclear exercise, nuclear pharmacological, stress echocardiography, and/or graded-progressive cardiopulmonary exercise testing.
• Use critical judgment and monitor for inappropriate responses based on indications and limitations to achieve a high-quality testing outcome.
• Evaluate patient anatomy and physiology, hemodynamic responses, and vital signs during testing or intervention, detecting abnormal responses including blood pressure and arrhythmia responses.
• Recognize endpoints for testing and treatment sessions.
• Integrate exercise-testing data into documentation for final report interpretation by a physician.
• Recognize when physician presence is appropriate during stress testing or intervention.
• Perform Holter monitor scan analysis as needed.
• Participate in and support supervision and onboarding of new employees and student interns.
• Provide education on exercise, health, and lifestyle modification as appropriate.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time