A cardiac rehabilitation nurse or exercise physiologist assesses the patient's risk factors, educational needs, and activity level. This assessment forms the basis for recommendations in the next phase of rehabilitation. An individual is referred by their physician for the outpatient phase of cardiac rehabilitation. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program team helps the patient and physician determine the best type and level at which the patient should begin exercising. While patients are in this phase of rehabilitation, they are under the constant supervision of registered nurses and exercise physiologists during exercise.
Supervision includes heart and blood pressure monitoring.
Educational sessions are conveniently scheduled during or around the rehabilitation class schedule. Phase III - Maintenance Phase III of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is the maintenance phase. This phase is designed to continue for the patient's lifetime. The Phase III exercise schedule provides greater flexibility than the Phase I or II schedule and allows patients to attend 5 days per week at various hours of the day. Patients in this level of rehabilitation participate in the exercises of their choice, in classes supervised by one of the Center's registered nurses or exercise physiologists.