Competency:
Calculation of MET-minutes to evaluate total exercise volume compared to
the evidence-based recommendation of 500 – 1000 MET-minutes per week.
Name _______________________ Date __________
Dept. CARDIAC REHAB
Expectation: The cardiac rehab staff member will use MET-minutes to determine if the
amount of exercise a patient performs in a week meets the evidence-based
recommendation for 500-1000 MET-minutes per week.
Essential Elements of Performance:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Define a MET as a metabolic equivalent
indicating the body’s need for oxygen to fuel
various activities; to patients this concept is
often referred to as an “energy need”
Discuss the underlying physiology that 1
MET, the baseline need while sitting in a
chair awake, alert, & upright, requires the
body to take in, transport, & use 3.5 ml of
oxygen per kilogram of weight per minute,
i.e. 1 MET = 3.5 ml/Kg/min.; therefore, 2
METS = 7.0 ml/Kg/min., 10 METS = 35
ml/KG/min., etc.
Connect exercise intensity verbiage to
appropriate MET values: light exercise = < 3
METS, moderate exercise = 3 – 5.9 METS,
vigorous exercise = > 6 METS
State that for optimal benefits of exercise
patients need to achieve at least moderate
levels of exercise, 3 METS or more.
Using a selected patient’s case as an example,
determine the average METs performed on
exercise devices used in rehab gym during
the most recent week of rehab participation;
some exercise devices have gauges that show
METS performed, others require formulas or
reference tables to convert workloads to
METS, a few cannot be converted.
On the same patient, locate a recent note of
what/how much physical activity or exercise
the patient was performing outside of rehab;
to be counted that activity/exercise must be:
purposeful = recognized & done as activity/
exercise, not just a normal daily activity
at least 10 minutes in duration = short bouts of
activity are insufficient; 2 intervals of 5
minutes each are acceptable
Proficient
Needs Review/
Improvement
Inadequate
**
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Identify references/resource lists of how many
METS are required to perform various
activities
Locate the patient’s reported activity/exercise
on the MET list & find the matching MET
value
At rehab entry, multiply the number of
minutes that activity/exercise was performed
in a week by the MET value in the table to get
MET-minutes performed last week.
At rehab exit, repeat steps 8 & 9 PLUS add
the average MET-mins/wk for exercise done
in the rehab center to get total MET-mins/wk
which determines the patient’s total exercise
volume
Compare total MET-mins/wk to the evidencebased recommendation of 500-1000 METmins/wk to determine if the patient has
achieved that exercise goal
Record the total MET-mins/wk on the
patient’s Outcome Data sheet to report to both
patient & physician at program discharge
Resources & References:
Ainsworth, Haskell, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET
values. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise; August 2011.
Cross-reference:
Core Competencies for Cardiac Rehabilitation/Secondary Prevention Professionals: 2010 Update
– pg 8 Physical activity counseling, Knowledge 1-2-7, Skills 1-3-4-6.
Evaluation: Signature _______________________________ Date ________________
** any/all ratings of Inadequate require a corrective action plan tailored to the staff member involved