Exercise Physiologist

To perform technical and clerical functions pertinent to the Cardiology Stress Laboratories.  These functions include: exercise stress testing procedures, facilitating exercise and educational components of cardiac rehabilitation established by the plan of care, operating laboratory equipment and clinical applications, ensuring representative 24-hour Holter analysis for physician interpretation, and administrative duties.  All duties are performed in a manner that is developmentally appropriate for the population served, ranging from pediatric to adult patients, including inpatient and outpatient settings.

Think you've got what it takes?

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Responsibility A: Performs Exercise Stress Testing (Performs Appropriate Exercise Stress Tests as Ordered by Provider)
•    Completes pre-testing procedures such as scheduling, patient chart review, and lab/equipment preparation.
•    Provides clear high-level communication about procedures with patient/family and obtains written consent. 
•    Conducts testing procedures pertaining to: exercise testing (treadmill and bicycle ergometer modes), pre and post exercise spirometry, and cardiopulmonary testing. 
•    Monitors vitals and identifies: arrhythmias, ischemic changes, blood pressure changes, symptoms, or any other inappropriate physiological response during and/or after exercise.
•    Recognizes and responds appropriately to potential emergency situations and makes clinical decisions about safety.
•    Gathers accurate and quality test data. 
•    Cleans and disinfects laboratory between patients.  
•    Performs six-minute walk tests for Cardiology clinics.
Responsibility B: Writes Preliminary Report and Reports Findings to Appropriate Provider.
•    Reviews/analyzes vitals and data points collected during testing.
•    Determines anaerobic threshold and peak oxygen uptake from cardiopulmonary testing. 
•    Generates 9-panel and spirometry printouts.
•    Generates a detailed preliminary report outlining test findings that are based on the test mode and testing procedures.
•    Exports the preliminary report from the CASE cardiac assessment system to MUSE.
•    Compiles physical printouts and preliminary report into a physical folder.
•    Delivers the preliminary report and printouts to the appropriate physician to be reviewed.
•    Verbalizes important test findings and observations.
•    Follows established workflow in MUSE for exported preliminary reports.
•    Documents six-minute walk test findings into Epic. 
Responsibility C: Supports and Cares for Patients Referred to Cardiac Rehabilitation.
•    Conducts baseline testing for patients enrolled into Cardiac Rehabilitation.
•    Collaborates with the referring and consulting provider to develop personalized exercise plans based on medical history, goals, and fitness level.
•    Educates patients/patient’s families on physical activity/exercise, nutrition, lifestyle modification, and psychosocial health. 
•    Facilitates 1:1 exercise sessions with patients.  Monitors patient’s response to exercise and adjusts program as necessary to ensure safety and effectiveness.  Coaches patients on proper use of exercise equipment and technique.
•    Documents patient’s exercise sessions and individualized treatment plan (ITP) in Epic. 
•    Reports patient’s status and any issues/concerns with the patient’s referring and consulted provider. 
Responsibility D: Operates and Maintains Stress Laboratory Equipment Including Clinical Applications/Systems
•    Operates and monitors all stress laboratory equipment, ensuring accurate and efficient functioning during exercise stress testing procedures. 
•    Performs daily calibration and maintenance of laboratory equipment to ensure compliance with safety and performance standards.
•    Troubleshoots and follows procedures to resolve technical and/or equipment issues in order to minimize downtime.
•    Follows procedures for cleaning of equipment and patient related supplies.  Transports metabolic masks, mask adapters, and flow sensors to the Sterile Processing Department (SPD).  Coordinates the pickup of devices from SPD. 
•    Effectively navigates MUSE and Epic systems. 
Responsibility E: Performs 24-Hour Holter Analysis
•    Performs accurate and timely 24-hour Holter analysis (“scanning”) on CardioDay software system. 
•    Identifies key characteristics and quantifies arrhythmias during the recording period.
•    Reviews and saves timestamps of patient’s diary, including activities and symptoms.
•    Generates a detailed preliminary report highlighting events and patient’s rhythm throughout the recording period. 
•    Exports preliminary reports to MUSE and reports significant events/arrhythmias to the Electrophysiology team. 
Responsibility F: Supports Administrative Duties and Growth of Exercise Laboratories.
•    Contributes to the coordination and scheduling of testing and cardiac rehabilitation exercise sessions.
•    Participates in quality improvement initiatives to enhance laboratory performance and patient outcomes.
•    Works as a team to track and order supplies to ensure laboratories remain functional. 
•    Helps to track activity and outstanding exercise stress reports.  
•    Helps with onboarding/precepting new staff to ensure consistency in laboratory practices and excellent patient care across the Texas Children’s Hospital system. 
•    Facilitates exercise testing for research initiatives within the organization.
•    Helps create and improve laboratory resources, such as those for training and educational purposes.

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, all successful candidates will be required to undergo respiratory fit testing in compliance with occupational health and safety standards. 

Skills & Requirements 
•    Master's Degree in Exercise Science (or comparable) with specialization in Exercise Physiology 
•    Licenses/Certification: PALS - Cert-PALS, ACLS - Cert-Adv Cardiac LS ACLS, ACSM-CER - Cert-ACSM Cer Personal Trainer 
Preferred 1-year experience in clinical exercise testing and exercise ECG interpretation, 1-year previous experience in a clinical or hospital
 

About Texas Children’s

Since 1954, Texas Children’s has been leading the charge in patient care, education and research to accelerate health care for children and women around the world. When you love what you do, it truly shows in the smiles of our patient families, employees and our numerous accolades such as being consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report as well as recognition from Houston Business Journal as one of this city’s Best Places to Work for ten consecutive years. 

Texas Children’s comprehensive health care network includes our primary hospital in the Texas Medical Center with expertise in over 40 pediatric subspecialties; the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI); the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin, the new state-of-the-art facility providing world-class pediatric and maternal care to Austin and Central Texas families. We have also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO focused on children; Texas Children’s Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that is channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine, one of the largest, most diverse and successful pediatric programs in the nation. 

 To join our community of 15,000+ dedicated team members, visit texaschildrenspeople.org for career opportunities.

 Texas Children’s is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants and employees are considered and evaluated for positions at Texas Children's without regard to mental or physical disability, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or any other protected Federal, State/Province or Local status unrelated to the performance of the work involved.