Patients are seen in Phase I Cardiac Rehab after a physician referral is written.
During Phase I, patients with Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Attack, Post-op Heart
Surgery and other cardiac diagnosis engage in monitored low level exercise and receive
patient education.
Program Goals:
- Preventing weakness and complications caused by prolonged bed rest
- Improve endurance and flexibility
- Promote independence, self-esteem and responsible decision making for clients
- Educate patients regarding exercise and symptom recognition regarding exercise intolerance
- Introduce concepts of risk factor reduction, self-assessment and self care in heart
health
Personnel
Phase I exercise and educational sessions are supervised by a registered nurse with
expertise in Cardiac Rehab.
Patient Evaluation
Each patient will receive a comprehensive assessment prior to beginning exercise
and education. If there are no contraindications for exercise, activity will be
advanced according to each patient's tolerance and response.
Phase I Exercise
Patients referred to the service will be assessed twice daily for exercise and educational
needs. Exercise goals will be established and communicated to the patient, family
and nurse each day. Based upon the patient's condition and response, progressive
exercise sessions will proceed during the patient's length of stay. All patients
on Phase I Cardiac Rehab service will receive heart monitoring, oxygen saturation
monitoring as indicated and blood pressure evaluation prior to each session and
during each session. This information is communicated with other care providers
in the patient's medical record.
Phase I Education
ased upon the level of readiness to learn and each patient's expressed interests,
patients in the Phase I Cardiac Rehab program are given education regarding their
specific heart problem, activity/exercise, nutrition, medication, risk factor and
lifestyle changes, emergency planning and community resources available for assistance
in rehabilitation. Educational videos are offered via the "on demand" hospital video
system.
Outpatient Cardiac Rehab Referral
Those patients who could benefit from a Phase II outpatient Cardiac Rehab service
are given information regarding the program.
For patients interested in The Nebraska Medical Center Cardiac Rehab Program, a
physician referral is obtained and the cardiac rehabilitation enrollment process
in initiated.
For patients interested in a Outpatient Cardiac Rehab (Phase II) program, other
than at The Nebraska Medical Center, a referral process is initiated. The Phase
I nurse will obtain a release of medical information by having the patient sign
a release form. After the patient's discharge, the hospital's Medical Record Department
will forward the patient's medical records to the appropriate Outpatient Cardiac
Rehab Program. The outlying cardiac rehab program will also receive notification
and a summary of pertinent information regarding the patient's hospitalization.