Registered Nurse - Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation

Lehigh Valley Health Network•Easton, PA

3d•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 and non-invasive blood pressure monitoring, as well as clerical duties when appropriate. The nurse communicates effectively, helps maintain a safe work environment, maintains clinical and professional competency for the patient population served, and focuses on excellent outcomes and patient experience. The position supervises outpatient cardiac rehabilitation sessions, monitors patients during exercise, updates exercise prescriptions, and documents patient responses. It also includes assessing learning needs and barriers, developing patient education plans, documenting assessments and outcomes, communicating with physicians and the care team, contributing to quality and safety initiatives, and supporting department and hospital goals. The nurse performs validated technical skills and demonstrates leadership through mentoring, precepting as assigned, appropriate delegation, and providing input on team performance.

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 the ability to evaluate patient responses to exercise during testing and intervention.
Strong patient education and teaching abilities, for individual and group education 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 certification for Pennsylvania upon hire.
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification for Pennsylvania upon hire.
Certified Cardiac Rehab Professional (CCRP) credential for Pennsylvania within one year.
Pennsylvania Registered Nurse license upon hire.

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, and integrate primary and secondary diagnoses into patient education plans.
Document assessments and reassessments in patient care plans, including interventions, outcomes, goals, and behavior changes.
Maintain ongoing communication with physicians and the care team as appropriate.
Promote quality and safety in accordance with policies and procedures and use evidence-based practice; participate in evidence-based practice, research, and 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, including patient experience goals and performance improvement activities.
Perform validated technical skills based on clinical specialty and unit practice.
Teach and mentor new colleagues and department interns, and precept as assigned.
Delegate tasks based on team members’ skills and expertise, patient acuity and needs, and team members’ availability.
Provide input, as requested, for performance appraisals of care delivery team members.