As a Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist (Phase 3) at the YMCA of Springfield you will assist in designing and facilitating a program to help patients sustain the health improvements they made in earlier phases, particularly after completing Phase 2 at a hospital or outpatient rehab program. As the YMCA Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist, you help patients maintain and reinforce a heart-healthy lifestyle through supervised exercise, education, and ongoing support, ensuring patients transition successfully from hospital-based rehabilitation to independent, long-term wellness.

Phase 3 focuses on long-term lifestyle habits and independent exercise maintenance. It builds on the progress from Phase 2 by:

• Continuing supervised exercise in a supportive environment
• Encouraging self-management of heart-healthy routines
• Preventing relapses into unhealthy behaviors
• Improving overall cardiovascular fitness and quality of life.

Assess and monitor patient progress through periodic evaluations including but not limited to Blood Pressure measurement and Blood Ox measurements before and after exercising.

Design individualized exercise programs using available equipment (cardio, strength, free weights) and group classes (land/water fitness).

Provide education on heart-healthy living, stress management, nutrition, and smoking cessation.

Offer check-ins and guidance to program participants (e.g., Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays).

Collaborate with Cardiac Rehab Phase 2 providers in the community.

Motivate and support patients in maintaining exercise and healthy habits independently.

Protecting Youth & Vulnerable Populations

Overarching Goal: Through their training, best practice, monitoring. supervision, vigilance, and reporting maintain an environment and culture where all are safe from harmful actions of others physically, psychologically, and behavioral.

Employees and volunteers who directly supervise consumers will:

• Adhere to policies related to boundaries with consumers.
• Attend required abuse risk management training.
• Adhere to procedures related to managing high-risk activities and supervising
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• Report suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
• Follow mandated abuse reporting requirements.

Employees and volunteers who do not directly supervise consumers will:

• Adhere to policies related to boundaries with consumers.
• Attend required abuse risk management training.
• Report suspicious and inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
• Follow mandated abuse reporting requirements.
• Adhere to job specific abuse risk management responsibilities.
• Maintenance employees and volunteers—ensure unused rooms and closets remain locked; routinely monitor high-risk locations (locker-rooms and bathrooms), etc.
• Front desk personnel—ensure consumers are properly signed in (and where applicable, signed out, ensures only authorized adults are allowed in the facility, etc.

Supervisors and administrators will:

• Follow employees and volunteers’ screening requirements and use screening instruments to screen for abuse risk.
• Provide employees and volunteers with on-going supervision and training related to abuse risk.
• Provide employees and volunteers with regular feedback regarding their boundaries with consumers.
• Require employees and volunteers to adhere to policies and procedures related to abuse risk.
• Respond quickly to policy and procedure violations using the organization’s progressive disciplinary procedures.
• Respond seriously and confidentially to reports of suspicious and inappropriate behavior.
• Follow mandated reporting requirements.
• Communicate to all employees and volunteers the organization’s commitment to protect their consumers from abuse.

OUR SERVICE EXPECTATIONS: 

• Display a friendly, helpful, and positive disposition. 
• Provide customer service that is thorough, timely, organized, and accurate.  
• Help ensure the Y is meeting member and participant needs by utilizing good listening skills, attentiveness, objectivity, and patience in all situations. 
• Place members and participants as the first and highest priority showing kindness and compassion at all times.  
• Demonstrates the Y core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility through all daily activities and responsibilities 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Required: Degree in exercise physiology, or experience in cardiac rehabilitation, or related fields.
• Certifications: Must complete Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) before first program session. The YMCA will provide the certification.
• Prefer knowledge of, and previous experience with, diverse populations (language, culture, race, physical ability, sexual orientation, etc.).
• Ability to complete all required training within 60 days of employment, including but not limited to CPR, First Aid,
• Living Our Cause, DCFS Mandated Report, IL Gateway Registry Modules and to maintain these certifications as current as outlined by regulations or requirements.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to speak concisely and effectively communicate. Be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• Visual and auditory ability to respond to critical situations ability to act swiftly in an emergency.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.

May require physical effort and cardiac endurance while reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, standing, walking, balancing, bending, leaning, kneeling, walking and climbing.

Specifically:

• Ability to perform all physical aspects of the position; including leading class, walking, standing, bending, reaching, and lifting up to 50 lbs.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud

• Free 1 Parent Family Membership
• 8% Retirement for Vested Employees
• Paid Leave for All

Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day.  We are welcoming: we are open to all. We are a place where you can belong and become. We are genuine: we value you and embrace your individuality. We are hopeful: we believe in you and your potential to become a catalyst in the world. We are nurturing: we support you in your journey to develop your full potential. We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger beginning with you.