A Rehabilitation nurse provides care to chronically ill people. What this means is they provide specialized care to a patient who needs some life extended care due to illness or accident. Are you a natural motivator, a natural healer? If yes then, This could be an exciting career for you! Find out the many facets of what rehabilitation nursing is all about!
Quick Summary
The Rehabilitation Nurse provides specialized care for independent or semi-dependent people. Unfortunately, the number of patients requiring rehabilitation treatments has increased, and sometimes the needs of the patients can be complicated.
Rehabilitation nurses care for individuals who have a broad range of problems, from head injuries, behavioral, neurological, cognitive and more. Some patients who have had a spinal injury, stroke or multi-trauma event and needed to become well often look to a rehabilitation nurse to help them recover and get back to their maximum wellness.
They typically work in rehab units that could be found in acute care facilities, freestanding rehabilitation hospitals. Additionally, some will be employed in long-term care facilities or even private insurance companies to look after their client after an injury.
Minimum degree you’ll need to practice: Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Certification: The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (CRRN) offers certification for Registered Nurses with at least two years of experience in rehabilitation nursing.
Median annual salary: $65,470*
What does a Rehabilitation Nurse do?
A rehabilitation nurse provides specialized care for independent or semi-dependent people. Unfortunately, the number of patients requiring rehabilitation treatments has increased and sometimes the needs of the patients can be involved. Many rehabilitation nurses care for individuals who have a broad range of problems, from head injuries, behavioral, neurological, cognitive and more.
These nurses provide care to chronically ill people. What this means is they provide specialized care to a patient who need some life extended care due to illness or accident. Some patients who have had a spinal injury, stroke or multi-trauma event and needed to become well often look to a rehabilitation nurse to help them recover and get back to their maximum wellness.
They typically work in rehab units that could be found in acute care facilities, freestanding rehabilitation hospitals. Additionally, some will be employed in long-term care facilities or even private insurance companies to look after their client after an injury.
Rehabilitation nursing includes working with a team of specialty providers or rehab team. Every member of this team plays an important part of helping the patient to meet his or her therapeutic goals.
The members of a rehab team may include the patient, the nurse, a physician, physical therapist, pharmacist, sometimes a social worker, occupational therapist and a dietitian. The rehab nurse will work and communicate with other experts to form a team approach to coordinate the care of the patient.
These nurses talk with patients to understand what goals of recovery are most important to them. However working within this nursing specialty, there are some drawbacks or should we say challenges. A large challenge for sometimes-new nurses who are used to patients recovering and discharged from the hospital quickly may not be well suited for this career.
Patients are healing strokes or brain injuries from can take months to reach their maximum levels of health. Rehabilitation nursing is a slow but steady process with no magic bullet. Nonetheless, many nurses love this career and find their patients recovering and regaining their optimal level of health is rewarding.
What education will I need to become a rehabilitation nurse?
To become a Rehabilitative nurse you will need to be a registered nurse (RN) with an unrestricted license that is in good standing. You do not need to have a Bachelor’s degree although it is not a bad idea to obtain one.
Certification is voluntary although employers prefer to hire applicants who hold certifications in rehabilitation. If you decide, you would like to be certified you could apply for the Rehabilitation RN certification after two years of experience as a registered within the rehab specialty. This certification can be renewed every five years with practice and continuing education.
Career Outlook
As with most health care fields, nursing is expected to grow much faster than average. As the baby boomers continue to age, the demand for rehabilitation nurses is projected to be in demand.
Read also –How to Become a Registered Nurse (RN) Guide
Check out our other Nursing School Guides.
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