Courtney DuBois

Responsibilities

- Checking in patients (temp, pulse ox, heart rate) - Assisting with 3 lead EKG placement on new patients - Patient monitoring and exercise prescriptions - Patient communication - Monitoring heart rate, blood pressure, and heart rhythm throughout exercise - Manual blood pressures before, during, and after exercise - Teaching and explaining warmups, cool downs, and exercise prescription to patients - Leading warmups - Charting exercise, heart rhythms, blood pressures, etc after exercise - Monitoring and understanding heart rhythms and arrhythmias - Learning medical terminology, medications, etc. - Observing and assisting in in-patient - Observing and assisting intake interviews (new patients) - Educate patients during classes and warmups You will also have the opportunity to work in pulmonary rehab, observe many different areas of the hospital (Cath lab, echo, CT scans, and more!). After the first week of observing phase II cardiac rehab, you will be able to take your own patient and work with them individually.

Accomplishments

My greatest accomplishment during my time at Mercy was being able to work with my patients on my own. After the first few weeks I was able to lead 2-3 patients through exercise in every class!

Learning experience

I learned how to work with different groups of people, including pulmonary patients.

What advice would you give?

Take extra classes if you have the time! Introduce yourself to new people. Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask questions!