Rehabilitation nurses provide care and counseling to people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or substance abuse issues. They aim to help patients regain independence and adjust to difficult circumstances. They work in hospitals, home health care, and rehabilitation clinics, and require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree and state licensing. Certification is optional.
A rehabilitation nurse provides direct care and counseling services to people suffering from physical and mental disabilities, chronic illnesses or substance abuse issues. He or she helps people re-establish independent lifestyles after debilitating incidents. A rehabilitation nurse also educates family members and caregivers about an individual’s disability and how they can best provide support.
The aim of a rehabilitation nurse is to help a newly disabled or ill person regain a high degree of independence. Nurses help people adjust to difficult circumstances involving home life, work, and interactions with family and friends. They provide constant encouragement and suggest strategies to help people adjust to their disabilities.
Rehabilitation nurses may work in hospitals, home health care companies, outpatient physical rehabilitation clinics, or substance abuse treatment centers. Depending on the job setting, a rehabilitation nurse takes on many different roles in patient care. Nurses working in hospitals often treat many different patients, talking with doctors and other nurses to come up with suitable treatment plans. They often participate in rehabilitation sessions with their patients to encourage and evaluate their progress. In addition to their specialist services, rehabilitation nurses in hospitals perform more general nursing functions, such as administering medications and checking vital statistics.
In the field of home medical care, rehabilitation nurses provide education and counseling services to patients and their families. Nurses may spend a significant amount of time in patients’ homes, teaching patients to manage daily activities despite their impairments. Rehabilitation nurses in home health care often help patients return to their existing jobs or explore new employment options.
A nurse working in a physical rehabilitation clinic or substance abuse center plays an especially significant role in a patient’s recovery. He or she assists physicians in providing patient assessments, counseling and case management services. A nurse often facilitates group therapy sessions to allow patients to share their experiences and opinions. In addition, many nurses participate in follow-up meetings with recovering patients to provide ongoing counseling and support.
To become a rehabilitation nurse, a person typically must earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in an accredited nursing program, although many employers prefer to hire nurses with more advanced degrees. Many rehabilitation nurses are pursuing master’s and even doctoral degrees in order to provide better care and create possibilities for advancement in their careers. Once educational requirements are met, a prospective nurse must become licensed in their state by passing a national licensing exam. Many established nurses choose to take a certification test administered by the Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board, although certification is not always required.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
