Cardiac Exercise Physiologist / Cardiac Rehabilitation Physiotherapist

Job responsibilities

Key Tasks & Responsibilities of the Post:

• Accessing support from the team where required, ensure all patients receive appropriate individualized exercise prescription that uses up to date guidelines from nationally and internationally recognised exercise professional bodies e.g. British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, ACPICR, BASES.
• Utilise professional qualifications in demonstrating a satisfactory and developing knowledge of the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology and associated co-morbidities.
• Analyse complex medical information and results of investigations that include exercise tolerance tests, echocardiograms, angiograms, and apply results in order to guide to exercise prescription, liaising as necessary with the wider clinical team.
• Ensure all equipment is set out safely and appropriately.Contribute, where required, to overseeing, monitoring and authorising of equipment and ensuring maintenance and repair.
• In order to ensure patients follow this prescription, excellent communication and negotiation skills will be required, as the understanding, agreement and co-operation of patients to follow their exercise programme is essential. The barriers to overcome with patients may include fear, lack on motivation, apathy, and/or denial of their condition.
• Lead group-based exercise classes (with advice where required), providing clear instructions and physical demonstration of exercises, where required.
• Measure the effectiveness of the exercise and physical activity prescription using observational methods and outcome measures, and change prescription accordingly.
• Develop individualised home-based/ independent exercise prescription with supervision where required, in conjunction or as an alternative to group-based activities.
• Undertake Intermediate Life Support training, update annually and manage medical emergencies in collaboration with Nursing staff.
• Develop/utilise appropriate record keeping systems (both written & computerised) and review regularly in collaboration with Nursing staff.
• Contribute to the auditing of patient records by audit or peer review in line with the Organisation policy.
• Liaise with the multidisciplinary team and/or primary/secondary health care colleagues to assist with the provision of optimum management of patients with on-going or complex cardiac disease.
• Undertake all aspects of this role as an autonomous practitioner, seeking clinical support where required from colleagues.
• Undertake/assist with clinical audit to assess the effectiveness of the service and make recommendations regarding changes to improve/develop the needs of the service.
• Participate in formal/informal audit and research projects to further own and team clinical practice, as required.
• Be professional and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care.
• Undertake health promotion whenever possible to all age groups and also contribute to planned health promotion activities.
• Maintain accurate records, which are confidential, up to date, comprehensive and legible. These records may be paper or IT based systems and must be maintained as specified in the Organisation Policies, and government directives.
• The post holder is required to comply with all infection control policies and guidance, attend relevant updates and report issues of concern to their immediate line manager.
• Formulate and deliver individual treatment and care programmes based on highly developed specialist knowledge of evidence-based practice using clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of subject area, accessing advice where required.
• Manage clinical/non-clinical risks within own patient caseload and refer to appropriate multi-disciplinary team as appropriate.
• Provide and receive complex or sensitive information, where skills are required to communicate effectively with patients, carers, GP's and Consultant's regarding patient progress and treatment. This will include patients who may have difficulty understanding or communicating, e.g. patients may be dysphasic, depressed, deaf, and blind or may have difficulty accepting their diagnosis.
• Demonstrate the ability to use own initiative and act independently.

Managerial / Leadership

• Day to day management responsibility of specialist exercise programmes for patients with complex cardiovascular conditions e.g. Myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafts, valve replacement, angioplasty/stent insertion, heart failure, arrhythmias, heart transplant, LVAD and associated co-morbidities. Take advice where required.
• Planning and organising all exercise-based rehabilitation programmes within the Community Cardiac Team.
• Contribute to the Development, implementation and review of policies/standards/protocols for exercise based rehabilitation e.g. use of clinical assessment tools/outcome measures and co-ordinate change in practice as necessary.
• Deal with patients property/valuables in a responsible manner.
• Co-ordinate the availability of local leisure centre Phase IV staff that will be assisting at all Phase III exercise sessions.
• Oversee the work of the Leisure Centre Phase IV staff during the exercise classes and liaise with the Leisure Centre management regarding any professional issues.
• Advise on necessary maintenance and purchase of exercise-related equipment.
• Take responsibility for collecting data and producing reports for Senior managers and all relevant parties regarding service delivery, exercise attendance and outcome data, as required.
• Ensure that patients and nursing staff are aware on how to operate exercising equipment safely and allocate staff to patients as appropriate at the beginning of a session. During the sessions, monitor the level of supervision required by individual patients and re-allocate as necessary.
• Ensure that periods of planned absence are covered by colleagues in order to facilitate the smooth running of the programme, so that classes are only cancelled in exceptional circumstances.
• Ensure that all-relevant equipment and documentation is taken to appropriate leisure centres so that emergencies can be dealt with effectively and patient records can be readily accessed.
• Provide support and advice to team members and act as a resource to other health professionals and community agencies.
• Contribute to an environment conducive to team building, working and development.
• Contribute to and support team through change processes, being proactive with problem solving.
• Undertake an annual IPR as required, according to trust policy.
• Act as a role model for patients/other team members demonstrating and maintaining high standards of practice and professional conduct.

Communication:

• Work closely with the Community Cardiac team to provide comprehensive community-based Cardiac Rehabilitation/Heart Failure support. Other key working relationships include patients, families, GPs, Practice Nurses, Secondary Care Medical and Nursing staff, Phase IV Exercise Instructors, leisure centre staff and voluntary bodies.
• Liaise with the Phase IV service providers to ensure a seamless patient journey.
• Establish and develop ongoing links with other physical activity providers to
• Facilitate a menu of exercise options for cardiac patients.
• Communicate effectively with patients and their families on a range of issues including complex or sensitive medical information regarding their condition, overcoming barriers such as sensory loss or impairment and learning difficulties.
• Be able to effectively communicate at all levels of the Organisation to a variety of health professionals, users and carers, in order to provide the best outcomes for service users.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records and inform other professionals about relevant conditions /symptoms.
• Adopt a flexible approach to the working day in order to meet the needs of the patients and service.
• Be aware of pressures facing your work colleagues and offer support where possible.
• Abide by the Organisational policy with regard to the use of a mobile phone for work purposes.

Professional:

• Move between different sites and adapt to different working environments e.g. office base/ leisure centres, managing time, travel and resources appropriately.
• Maintain patient records in line with Organisational policy
• Ensure evidence-based practice at all times utilising relevant policies, standards and guidelines.
• Act as a professional representative of the Community Cardiac team at local and national level.
• Be responsible for identifying personal and professional development paths that are consistent with your identified needs and scope of practice.
• Keep abreast of Cardiac Rehabilitation/Heart Failure and Exercise Physiology literature.
• Uphold and maintain Trust policies and statutory regulations related to health and safety.

Education & Training:

• Assist Nursing staff in the development of their knowledge regarding safe and effective exercise rehabilitation for patients with complex cardiac conditions
• Facilitate the mentorship and support of British Association for
• Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Phase IV trainees.
• Use expertise in communicating to patients/family members complex medical information which may affect their ability to safely exercise, in a manner that can be understood by those with varying levels of understanding and capability e.g. those with communication difficulties such as sensory loss.
• Accommodate students on relevant Degree programmes on observational placement.
• Assume responsibility for own professional development and personal knowledge.
• Maintain professional expertise by attending meetings, study days and in service training, wherever possible.
• Undertake mandatory training, in line with trust policy.

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Good knowledge of subject area: cardiovascular diseases, co-morbidities, exercise assessment and prescription, exercise physiology, principles of adult education, behaviour change, risk factor assessment and management.
• Able to use information management and technology in relation to audit.
• Aware of own scope of practice and appreciate the need to seek advice from clinical colleagues, as required.
• Committed to both formal and informal teaching.
• Ability to make clinical decisions regarding the suitability, eligibility, and adaptability of each patients exercise programme.
• Articulate, both verbal and written.
• Good presentation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Open to change and able to initiate change.
• Commitment to team work.
• Ability to inspire and motivate others.
• Ability to manage own stress and that of others.
• Excellent organisational skills
• Competent IT skills and knowledge of databases

Desirable

• Ability to lead medical emergencies.
• Previous experience and knowledge of complex cardiac conditions.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years experience in the assessment and management of exercise prescription
• Evidence of interest in practice development initiatives.
• Experience of working with groups.
• Experience of health promotion.

Desirable

• Experience of leading the exercise component of a Cardiac Rehabilitation /Heart Failure service.
• Previous experience in audit or research.
• Experience in exercise prescription and exercise programme management for patients with coronary heart disease /heart failure.

Qualifications

Essential

• Evidence of study at degree level in Sport/Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology or Physiotherapy with specific knowledge of exercise prescription in relation to people with complex conditions.
• Basic Life Support qualification.
• Prepared to undertake specific Cardiac Exercise Qualifications to progress to an independent, fully knowledgeable practitioner, e.g. BACPR Physical Activity and Exercise in the Management of Cardiovascular Disease Parts I & II as a foundation to other qualifications such as Physical Activity and Exercise in Heart Failure

Desirable

• Intermediate Life Support qualification.
• Registration/Membership of appropriate regulatory body e.g. BASES/ ACPICR/REPS.
• BASES Accreditation Status or equivalent.
• Post graduate training in Cardiac Rehabilitation e.g. British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Exercise Instructor qualification, BACPR.
• Specific knowledge regarding exercising the Cardiovascular Patient.
• BASES Accreditation Status or equivalent.

Behavioural attributes & Competencies

Essential

• Motivation/enthusiasm.
• Promoting best practice through personal development for yourself and other team members.
• Skilled negotiator.
• Flexible, particularly with regard to working hours
• Clear vision of the role.
• Ability to move across Plymouth in a timely way to meet the needs of the service.
• Ability to empower others.
• Ability to act as a role model.
• Diplomatic and tolerant.
• Supportive Team member.
• Non-judgmental.

Desirable

• Ability to participate in medical emergencies.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).