Registered Nurse - Cardiac Rehabilitation

Lehigh Valley Health Network•Hellertown, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Provides quality nursing care to patients through the nursing process, adaptive exercise therapy, and disease-management tools, using evidence-based practice and following department policies and procedures. The role includes EKG/ECG monitoring, non-invasive blood-pressure monitoring, and clerical duties when appropriate. The nurse communicates effectively, helps maintain a safe work environment, maintains clinical and professional competency appropriate to the patient population, and focuses on excellent outcomes and patient experience. The position supervises cardiac rehabilitation sessions, evaluates patient responses to exercise, supports patient education and care planning, communicates with physicians and the care team, and contributes to quality, safety, and performance-improvement work. It also involves teamwork, technical skills relevant to the specialty, and leadership activities such as teaching, mentoring, and delegation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
One year of ICU and/or Coronary Care Unit experience.
Strong knowledge of cardiac and pulmonary pathophysiology and ability to assess patients’ responses to exercise.
Knowledge and competence reflecting current nursing practice.
Ability to work interdependently.
Attain and maintain unit-specific competencies.
Ability to use PC software programs.
Ability to multitask and work well under stress.
Critical-thinking and judgment skills, including evaluating patient responses to exercise during testing or intervention.
Strong patient-education teaching abilities, both individual and group, as indicated.
Strong knowledge of cardiac risk factors and lifestyle modifications.
Strong clinical assessment skills and leadership in emergency situations.
Strong knowledge of interpreting arrhythmias.
American Heart Association Basic Life Support, State of Pennsylvania, upon hire.
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), State of Pennsylvania, upon hire.
Certified Cardiac Rehab Professional (CCRP), AACVPR, State of Pennsylvania, within one year.
Licensed Registered Nurse (RN), State of Pennsylvania, upon hire.
Ability to lift and carry 40–50 pounds; frequent to continuous standing and walking; and, as applicable to the role, kneeling, bending, squatting, and performing CPR.

Responsibilities

Supervise cardiac rehabilitation sessions, monitor EKG, update exercise prescriptions, and document patient responses to exercise.
Assess patients’ learning needs, readiness to learn, and actual or potential barriers; incorporate primary and secondary diagnoses into educational plans.
Document assessments and reassessments in patient care plans, including interventions, outcomes, goals, and behavior changes.
Maintain ongoing communication with physicians and/or the care team as appropriate.
Support quality and safety in accordance with policies and procedures and evidence-based practice; participate in evidence-based practice, research, or performance-improvement projects as applicable.
Communicate effectively with patients, families, visitors, staff, and professional colleagues.
Work as a team member to support department and hospital goals, and participate in performance-improvement efforts, including patient-experience goals.
Perform validated technical skills based on clinical specialty and unit practice.
Teach and mentor new colleagues and department interns; provide additional precepting as assigned.
Delegate based on team members’ skills and expertise, patient acuity and needs, and team members’ time availability.
Provide input for performance appraisals of care-delivery team members when requested.