The Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation program is designed to meet the needs of the individual depending upon the specific heart problem or disease. Active involvement of the client and family is vital to the success of the program.

Post heart attack, post heart surgery and coronary prone individuals are eligible for Phase II after a written referral is received. The individual may be excluded from participation if certain conditions exist which may create complications or create a risk to the patient's health.

Program goals:

• To improve physical work capacity, muscle strength, endurance
• To provide a stimulating environment that will serve to motivate one to make a lifetime commitment to regular exercise
• To familiarize participants with the correct manner of exercising
• To continue pursuing the goal of cardiovascular health and lifestyle modification
• Develop skills needed for behavior change

Personnel

Phase II exercise sessions are supervised by the Lead Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse, exercise physiologist, cardiac rehabilitation nurse and cardiologist.

Evaluation/Orientation

Prior to the first exercise session, new patients will attend an evaluation/orientation session.

Exercise Sessions

fter the initial evaluation/orientation session, patients will come to the center on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at a class time that will be pre-arranged with them.

Each client will be assessed for:

• Weight (once per week unless otherwise specified)
• Problems/changes since last session
• Medications
• Heart rate (resting, exercise, recovery)
• Blood pressure (resting, exercise, recovery)
• Oxygen saturation levels as indicated
• Blood glucose testing on Diabetic patients pre/post exercise

A three to five minute warm-up session will precede the conditioning phase of the exercise session. The main portion of the exercise session will consist of intermittent exercise which consists of rotating through three to six exercise stations. Treadmills, exercise bikes, recumbent steppers, arm ergometers and weights are used at the center. The duration and intensity of the exercise is individually prescribed for each client. Cool down will take place after the last exercise modality. Individuals will attend three exercise sessions per week for approximately four to eight weeks. Home exercise will be prescribed when appropriate to compliment the exercise done at the center.

Education

n individual education plan will be developed for each patient based upon level of interest, diagnosis, risk factors, lifestyle changes needed and patient's readiness to learn. Patients will attend 20 minute pre-determined educational lectures prior to the exercise session. Additional counseling with the case manager, use of library materials, bulletin board information and flyers will be provided for a comprehensive educational experience.

Physician Report

Correspondence with each patient's physician will take place throughout the program as appropriate. An interim report will be sent with each patient during the course of rehab when routine physician visits are scheduled. A final report will be sent to each patient's physician upon graduation from the program.