Striving for Excellence

By Anne Gavic, MPA, RCEP, MAACVPR

Have you ever noticed that excellence has a “trickle-down” effect? Most likely if a restaurant manager has an eye for excellence, you will feel welcome the moment you step in, the service will be informed and timely, and the food will be exceptional. Coaches who hold themselves to a high standard may not win every game, but their team will play with heart and they will win — or lose — with class.

Similarly, in our profession, striving for excellence in knowledge, competency and practice can have a profound effect on overall functioning of the team, consistency and quality of care provided, and strength of patient and program outcomes.

In turn, strong outcomes data provides the evidence base necessary to ensure cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program viability, as evidenced through recognition of program benefits, recommendation of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation in published guidelines and maintenance of robust third-party payment.

As professionals, we have a responsibility to seek excellence in our professional growth. A significant and valuable benefit of AACVPR membership is the breadth of opportunities available to maintain and enhance professional knowledge and competency.

• The Journal of Cardiopulmonary Prevention and Rehabilitation (JCRP) is the premier journal for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation professionals and includes research specific to both patient care and program delivery. It is easily accessible online and provides members the opportunity to conveniently search for content in both current and past issues.
  
  
• The eLearning Center on the AACVPR website includes a comprehensive menu of live and recorded webinars such as Staff Competencies for Core Components. The Education Advantage Membership includes access to all live webcasts throughout the year as part of the membership bundle.
  
  
• AACVPR’s Annual Meeting, held in Louisville, KY, September 12 -14, 2018, includes three days packed full of educational content, with time for discussion and networking with cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation colleagues and the ability to learn from and with the very best in the field. 

Finally, to put a stamp of credibility on professional excellence, AACVPR offers credentialing specific to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.

• Pulmonary rehabilitation professionals can opt to do a deep dive into the essentials of pulmonary rehabilitation by studying a series of modules focused on the published Clinical Competencies for Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Successful completion of these modules and the final exam results in achievement of a Certificate in Pulmonary Rehabilitation from AACVPR and AARC.
  
  
• Cardiac rehabilitation professionals have the opportunity become certified as a Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) by completing 1200 hours of clinical experience in cardiac rehabilitation and successfully completing the CCRP exam. This exam is based on the published Core Competencies for Cardiac Rehabilitation, and reflects the individual’s knowledge of and experience in those competencies.
  
  
• The newly revised CCRP Best Practice Resource: A CCRP Study Guide is now available to assist in preparation for the CCRP exam. Creation of this guide reflects AACVPR’s commitment to excellence and to providing a resource that is current, scientifically based and practical for all cardiac rehabilitation professionals. While it can serve as a useful study guide for CCRP exam preparation, it is an equally valuable reference for all programs and cardiac rehabilitation professionals to guide best practices in program delivery and patient care.

AACVPR members are afforded significant opportunities to move toward professional distinction. Taking advantage of those opportunities and striving for excellence is a personal decision and will be manifested in an individual’s knowledge, skills and professional practice. An individual’s excellence will, in turn, be reflected in innovative and effective programming and in provision of the very best patient care.

#Certifications

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