By Denise Williams | News & Views
“I know my stuff!”
That’s the message you convey to colleagues, administrators, patients and the public when you earn the Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) credential, asserts Barbra Fagan, MS, MAACVPR. And by “stuff,” she means knowledge of and proficiency across 10 key domains — from smoking cessation to weight management — regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of disciplines that make up the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) provider community. For example:
- You’re a psychiatrist, but do you recognize the potential impact of blood pressure medications on exercise?
- Although your specialty is nutrition, are you aware of the potential psychosocial risk factors that can affect people with cardiovascular disease?
- As an exercise physiologist, can you identify optimal blood-lipid levels according to evidence-based guidelines?
If the letters “CCRP” follow your name, then the answer is YES.
“The idea was to set a standard certification that aligns with the CR competencies, making sure everyone in the field has a solid level of know-how,” explains Fagan. She occupied the president’s chair at AACVPR when the association developed and introduced the new badge a decade ago. As the conductor of the orchestra, so to speak, she was thrilled to play her part in launching what she calls a “groundbreaking” certification; but Fagan says it was the unwavering dedication of leaders like Karen Lui, RN, MS, MAACVPR, and Anne Gavic, MPA, RCEP, MAACVPR, that really brought the concept to fruition.
Testing…One, Two…
By the time the 2014 Annual Meeting kicked off, AACVPR was ready to offer the CCRP for the very first time. It was a memorable event for Julianne DeAngelis, ACSM-RCEP, CCRP, FAACVPR, who that year not only presented at the conference for the first time but also was part of the inaugural cohort to sit for the exam. “I flew all the way to Denver to take it on paper and pencil,” she remembers. As someone who has always valued professional development, DeAngelis — program manager of cardiac, pulmonary, and vascular rehabilitation at The Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI — welcomed the opportunity despite having 17 years of expertise under her belt at that point. That’s because, in her opinion, the process of reviewing material for a certification exam is equally as important as the test itself. “I get the guidelines book and I review it, but do I read it from cover to cover each time there’s a new one? No,” she admits. “[Exam prep] forces you to sit down and really look at everything as a whole — that itself is important, even if you don’t pass the test.” [She did, just in case you’re wondering!]
Also among the early adopters was Wayne Reynolds, RN, CCRP, FAACVPR, who unlike DeAngelis, wasn’t able to prepare for the exam at all. Most of his time and energy in the months leading up to test day had been reserved for battling a cancer diagnosis he received in the spring. But Reynolds had been excited when the new certification was unveiled — “My reaction was, ‘Good! It’s about time!’” he says — and he was determined to unlock its potential. Although he had a significant body of experience to lean on in lieu of book study, he advises that “studying for and having this credential really does ensure that you have the knowledge to give appropriate and safe care to your patients.”
In 2014, Reynolds was at the peak of his CR career. As cardiopulmonary rehab manager at Signature Health Care Brockton Hospital in Massachusetts, where he would ultimately dedicate 30 years of service, he was already confident in his abilities. Importantly, he notes, the CCRP designation makes sure that others also recognize his level of expertise.
“I think it gives me, personally, more credibility and my programs more credibility — inside the institution as well as outside,” Reynolds reflects. He points out that CR programs historically have not been prioritized. “A lot of times they are put by hospitals in the basement, and they don’t receive a whole lot of support,” he says. Even those little corners of the basement have become endangered, he continues, as hospitals increasingly bump CR programs offsite or close them completely to make room for more lucrative onsite programs. When Reynolds became CCRP-certified, he recounts, administrators looked at him in a different light. “I’ve always been a strong advocate for our programs within our hospital” and having the certification validated his perspective, he believes. “Administrators were like, ‘Oh! Okay, this guy does know something!’
Reynolds is now semi-retired and working in cardiology but still maintains the CCRP credential, which is good for three years and then requires re-certification. He still refers patients to CR and is also a frequent speaker at state and national meetings as well as public events. “To have that knowledge base — and to show that I have that knowledge base with the credentials — is very important,” he explains.
Ten years later, DeAngelis also makes a point to keep up with the certification. As a first-time test taker, she “set the tone” for colleagues at her program to follow suit. Now, as a manager and a leader at the same facility, she says her behavior demonstrates to staff the importance of continuing education, even for those in senior positions.
DeAngelis and Reynolds clearly aren’t alone in their thinking around why physicians, exercise physiologists, dietitians, psychologists and nurses should embrace the CCRP. More than 1,725 unique individuals have taken and passed the exam since its inception. And with the average re-certification rate hovering near 70%, CCRPs also clearly see the continued value of the credential over the long term.
Shining Bright, Like a Diamond
Fagan, who helped usher in the CCRP era, believes AACVPR has made strides in its mission to advance the quality of care in CR through the credential. “Over the past decade, the CCRP has emerged as a beacon of excellence in the field of cardiac rehabilitation” which continues to grow and evolve, she remarks. “The credential has not only set a benchmark for competency but also has fostered a community of highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals.”
DeAngelis couldn’t agree more. The CCRP “means that pretty much everybody is operating at the top of their skill set,” she says, and colleagues across disciplines are unified within an individual program to create a more cohesive team. From her own observations, she recognizes that some CR programs limit the activities of their exercise physiologists to taking blood pressure readings and prescribing exercise and balk at assigning them additional responsibilities. “To me, the CCRP standardizes competencies,” she says. “So, if everybody has that standard, an EP can do a patient assessment because it’s part of their certification. And a nurse can do exercise prescription because it’s part of that certification.”
“Everyone is doing the same thing, and they’re using each other’s mean skill sets to help each other; but in a day-to-day process, they’re all able to do the same work,” adds DeAngelis. “It makes them all feel more autonomous; it makes them feel more valued.” That kind of culture, in turn, aids staff retention.
As AACVPR celebrates 10 years of CCRP — the “diamond anniversary” in marital context — the credential’s impact on individual CR professionals and programs across the country is evident. “Think of the CCRP as the diamond of the AACVPR and the CR/PR crew,” says Fagan, drawing a parallel. It's not just a piece of paper, she emphasizes, but a symbol of strength, resilience and quality. “It's taken CR/PR professionals to a whole new level and has become a shining jewel in the professional journey of AACVPR members. The certification is like a rock — enduring, valuable and a sign that professionals are committed to taking cardiac rehab to the next level.”
Are you ready to take your career to the next level? Your chance is approaching! The first CCRP exam window of the year is set for May 1-May 31. Learn more here.