What Does A Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse Do

Some prospective healthcare workers may wonder, "What is a rehabilitation nurse?" This folio explores job responsibilities for these nurses and includes information on how to become a rehabilitation nurse.

Along with an interview with a rehab nurse, this page explores a typical rehabilitation nurse job description, salary expectations, and the pros and cons of the career.

The following chat with rehabilitation nurse Ashley Cress, RN, BSN, CBIS, describes her office and includes communication to anyone considering this line of work, such equally the almost challenging and most rewarding aspects of the chore.

Q&A With a Rehabilitation Nurse

Ashley Cress graduated from Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing in Troy, New York, in 2014, with an associate caste in nursing (ADN). After graduating, she joined the team at the Neuroscience and Epilepsy Monitoring Unit of measurement at Albany Medical Centre in Albany, New York.

In 2017, she relocated to Emeryville, California. Cress began working with the local Centre for Neuro Skills as a nurse within their residential setting, and in 2019, she was promoted into a clinical example managing director part. In 2020, she graduated from the Academy of Arkansas with a available of science in nursing (BSN) degree. Outside of work, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family unit, reading, and cycling.

Q: Why did you cull a career in rehabilitation nursing?

Rehabilitation nursing was not initially a specialty of interest for me. All the same, while working in astute care, I wanted to be more involved in the post-astute phase of recovery. I found the idea of profitable patients in regaining their independence and improving their overall quality of life to be rewarding.

Q: Were yous interested in helping patients recovering from encephalon injuries specifically?

I've e'er been interested in the neuroscience field, especially stroke-related care. Assisting patients recovering from brain injuries, whether mild or severe, is a challenging feat, merely rewarding across measure.

Q: What types of treatments, therapies, and services does your facility provide?

The Eye for Neuro Skills offers a comprehensive arroyo to brain injury recovery. Services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, as well as case direction and medical oversight.

Q: How practice you work with other healthcare providers, patients, and their family members?

The dissimilar disciplines collaborate and devise a treatment plan to maximize a patient'southward recovery. Outside medico consultations are essential for diagnosing specific weather that we can care for during the rehabilitation procedure, including vestibular impairments, visual deficits, etc. We encourage families to participate in the rehabilitation process as much as possible.

With rehabilitation nursing, y'all are treating non just the patient, but the families, too. By getting the families involved in their loved ones' care early on, you can assist with decreasing caregiver burden and too provide vital brain injury education, setting families upward for success one time a patient discharges.

Q: While every patient and situation is unique, what might a "typical" day look like for you lot as a clinical example managing director?

At the Centre for Neuro Skills, clinical instance managers are responsible for managing patients' overall rehabilitation programs. A typical solar day may include ensuring that patients' authorizations are upward to date, discussing patient programs with the therapists, communicating with insurance and workers' compensation carriers, and providing an boosted support system to patients and their family members.

Yous can wear many hats as a clinical example managing director, non only assisting with the medical care of your patients, simply also by assisting with social work duties, including setting up outside services like Medicaid benefits.

Stepping aside from my comfort zone in bedside nursing was a challenge at kickoff, simply my nursing groundwork has proven essential in agreement and managing our patients' complex medical care and needs.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges of your piece of work?

One of the biggest challenges in brain injury rehabilitation nursing is making sure that yous are maximizing a patient's plan within the insurance-authorized timeframe. For example, it can be challenging starting a patient'southward program knowing that you lot just have vii authorized days, but agreement how to manage those seven days is the important part.

Q: And the greatest rewards?

By far, the greatest reward of rehabilitation nursing is watching the progress of your patients. Witnessing your patients arrive at the facility in a wheelchair and go out walking without an assistive device is the best feeling. All of our patients are inspirational, and I am truly in awe of their perseverance and strength.

Q: What advice would you lot requite to individuals considering careers every bit rehabilitation nurses?

The best advice was given to me by our previous medical director. To paraphrase, he said, "Always exist a patient abet. You tin never become wrong when fighting for what is best for your patient." These words are true in every aspect of nursing. When your patient is in their nearly vulnerable country, it is the nurse'due south responsibility to ensure they are receiving the best care and therapy.

What Does a Rehabilitation Nurse Do?

Rehabilitation nurses piece of work with patients recovering from serious injuries or illnesses. Typical responsibilities include working directly with patients, educating them and their families during recovery, managing administrative work and insurance matters, and acting as a vital function of the patient's care team. Rehabilitation nurses must possess excellent communication skills to advocate for their patients, treating them and their families with empathy and respect.

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"When your patient is in their almost vulnerable state, it is the nurse'southward responsibility to ensure they are receiving the all-time care and therapy." — Ashley Cress, RN, BSN, CBIS

Key skills and responsibilities include:

Acting equally part of a care team
Carrying out parts of the treatment plan
Advocating for patients
Educating the patient and their family unit on what to await and practise

How to Go a Rehabilitation Nurse

It takes 2-iv years to become a rehabilitation nurse and an additional two years to earn rehabilitation nurse certification.

Graduate with an ADN or a BSN Degree

Prospective registered nurses (RNs) tin can attend a ii-year ADN or a four-year BSN program, just many employers require or prefer the four-yr caste for more advanced work or supervisory positions. Always ensure each programme'due south accreditation status.

Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam to Receive RN Licensure

This multiple-pick national board examination covers nursing practice, how the healthcare system works, communication and patient education, and the ethical and legal aspects of nursing. After passing the examination, candidates can employ to their land boards of nursing for nursing licenses.

Gain Experience in RN Positions

Rehabilitation nurses work in several settings, including acute care specialty hospitals, VA hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation clinics. Rehabilitation nurses work in inpatient and outpatient settings. After accruing at least two years of experience as a rehabilitation nurse, individuals tin apply for rehabilitation nurse certification.

Consider Pursuing a Rehabilitation Nurse Certification

While certification is not legally required to work as a rehabilitation nurse, many employers require or prefer certification. Certification represents a professional's demonstrated expertise every bit a rehabilitation nurse and their delivery to the profession. To become certified, each candidate must pass the certified registered rehabilitation nurse examination.

Advance Your Career Options with a Graduate Caste

In addition to or every bit an alternative to certification, individuals tin pursue a master of science in nursing (MSN) or a medico of nursing practice (DNP) degree. Others pursue a degree in healthcare administration or an MBA. About master'due south degrees require two years for completion, while a DNP typically takes three-four additional years or more than.

How Much Do Rehabilitation Nurses Make?

The average almanac rehabilitation nurse salary is $68,300, with an average hourly pay of $30.12, co-ordinate to PayScale every bit of July 2021. This figure dips lower than the average annual wage ($75,330) or hourly pay ($36.00) of all RNs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

$30.12
Average Hourly Wage

Source: PayScale

$68,300
Boilerplate Base Salary

Source: PayScale

However, nurses with certification, advanced degrees, or extensive feel can earn considerably more than the average rehabilitation nurse salary. Many rehabilitation nurses as well find the piece of work tremendously rewarding.