Medical-Fitness Technician
Certification Course
Part C: Assessing Medical-Fitness
Learning Modules: 25-34
Certification Course
Part C: Assessing Medical-Fitness
Learning Modules: 25-34
Learning Module 25:
Screening
Screening
Study the Learning Module and take the Quiz.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the importance of screening.
- Know the 3-questions to screen for medical clearance.
- Understand how to apply the screening protocol.
Explanation
Certified Medical-Fitness Technicians do NOT determine medical clearance for their clients to participate in their medical-fitness services. Only licensed medical doctors are authorized to provide medical clearance. This is why Medical-Fitness Technicians must "screen" their clients to know whether or not they need to get medical clearance from their personal physicians.
A standardized screening questionnaire is used to simply determine whether or not a potential client needs to obtain medical clearance from a medical doctor before being allowed to participate in any medical-fitness testing or training. Fortunately, most individuals easily pass the screening test and do not need medical clearance in order to safely participate in medical-fitness services.
The screening questionnaire is designed to answer the question: "Does this individual need to obtain medical clearance?"
Medical-Fitness Technicians should not assume that an individual referred by a physician for medical-fitness services has already been "medically cleared," and therefore does not need to be screened for medical clearance. This is because the participant's medical status may have changed since the physician made the referral, and sometimes the doctor mistakenly assumes your services include an in-house physician will perform the medical clearance evaluation.
The participant's signature on an "Informed Consent" (covered in the next Learning Module) regarding medical-fitness services does not override the need to screen for medical clearance. Every individual needs to be screened for medical clearance before participating in medical-fitness testing or training. Screening for medical clearance involves a series of 1-3 simple questions, depending on the individual's responses.
A standardized screening questionnaire is used to simply determine whether or not a potential client needs to obtain medical clearance from a medical doctor before being allowed to participate in any medical-fitness testing or training. Fortunately, most individuals easily pass the screening test and do not need medical clearance in order to safely participate in medical-fitness services.
The screening questionnaire is designed to answer the question: "Does this individual need to obtain medical clearance?"
- If an individual is screened as Positive, the answer is: Yes, the individual needs to obtain medical clearance.
- If an individual is screened as Negative, the answer is: No, the individual does not need to obtain medical clearance.
Medical-Fitness Technicians should not assume that an individual referred by a physician for medical-fitness services has already been "medically cleared," and therefore does not need to be screened for medical clearance. This is because the participant's medical status may have changed since the physician made the referral, and sometimes the doctor mistakenly assumes your services include an in-house physician will perform the medical clearance evaluation.
The participant's signature on an "Informed Consent" (covered in the next Learning Module) regarding medical-fitness services does not override the need to screen for medical clearance. Every individual needs to be screened for medical clearance before participating in medical-fitness testing or training. Screening for medical clearance involves a series of 1-3 simple questions, depending on the individual's responses.
Screening Questionnaire
Question 1: CURRENT SYMPTOMS - Have you been experiencing any...?
YES - If the individual has been experiencing any symptom listed above, STOP: Medical Clearance is REQUIRED.
NO - If the individual has NOT been experiencing any symptom listed above, continue to Question 2.
Question 2: MEDICAL HISTORY - Have you had...?
NO - If the individual does not have a medical history of any condition listed above (and does not have any symptoms in Q1), you may STOP the screening, Medical Clearance is NOT required, but you may continue with Question 3 as a preliminary assessment.
YES - If the individual has a medical history of any condition listed above, continue to Question 3.
Question 3: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Which of the following describes your weekly pattern of physical activity?
- Chest Discomfort with or without exertion
- Unreasonable Breathlessness (Shortness of Breath)
- Dizziness, Fainting, or Blackouts
- Ankle Swelling
- Forceful, rapid, or irregular heart beats (Palpitations)
- Burning or cramping in your calves when walking
YES - If the individual has been experiencing any symptom listed above, STOP: Medical Clearance is REQUIRED.
NO - If the individual has NOT been experiencing any symptom listed above, continue to Question 2.
Question 2: MEDICAL HISTORY - Have you had...?
- Heart Attack
- Cardiac Catheterization or Angioplasty
- Heart Transplant
- Pacemaker, Defibrillator, or Dysrhythmia
- Heart Valve Disease
- Heart Failure
- Congenital Heart Condition
- End-Stage Renal (kidney) Disease
NO - If the individual does not have a medical history of any condition listed above (and does not have any symptoms in Q1), you may STOP the screening, Medical Clearance is NOT required, but you may continue with Question 3 as a preliminary assessment.
YES - If the individual has a medical history of any condition listed above, continue to Question 3.
Question 3: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Which of the following describes your weekly pattern of physical activity?
- Active = At least 15 minutes of light to moderate physical activity per day
- Inactive = Less than 15 minutes of light to moderate physical activity per day. (frail, disabled)
ACTIVE - If the individual is physically active (even with a past cardiac history from Q2, but without current symptoms in Q1), Medical Clearance is NOT required.
INACTIVE - If the individual has not been physically active AND has a cardiac history from Q2 (but even with no current symptoms in Q1), Medical Clearance is REQUIRED.
INACTIVE - If the individual has not been physically active AND has a cardiac history from Q2 (but even with no current symptoms in Q1), Medical Clearance is REQUIRED.