Rehabilitation Nurse Job Description - Salary, Education and Career Guide for Becoming a Rehabilitation Nurse

What do rehabilitation nurses do?Unlike most nurses who carry the important responsibility of helping to treat short-term ailments and critical care needs, the role of the nurse in rehabilitation involves long-term relationship building with patients and their families.

Job Description

Rehabilitation nurses specialize in caring for individuals who are in the midst of an illness and/or disability that alters their ability to have normal physical function. Such ailments can require significant adjustments to a person's lifestyle for months, years or on a permanent basis.
 
Rehabilitation nurses provide information and tools needed for a patient to live comfortably while attaining optimum health and functionality. This often involves coordination with other types of healthcare providers to establish care plans and goals. In addition to direct patient care, rehabilitation nurses provide family counseling, education and general patient advocacy.
 
Rehabilitation nurses work with people who have experienced any of a variety of medical conditions, including:
  • cerebral vascular accident (Stroke)
  • chronic illness
  • diabetes
  • head and spinal trauma
  • orthopedic conditions
  • paralysis
  • post-surgery rehabilitation.
 

Salary Guide

According to estimated national averages in the United States, the salary for a registered nurse working in a rehabilitation center starts around $55,000 annually, with potential to earn approximately $80,000 a year. The difference in salary can depend on a number of factors, such as geography, education, experience and type of health facility.

Education and Training

Obtaining a rehabilitation nurse certification requires an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) or a diploma from an approved hospital program and a passing grade on a licensing exam.
  • Associate Degree in Nursing: An ADN can be attained through an approved community or junior college nursing program and can take about two to three years to complete. Some of the basic curriculum in this course includes physical and psychiatric studies, supervised clinical experience and courses in physical education and liberal arts. Once achieved, an ADN can be used to obtain licensure as a registered nurse.
 
  • Bachelor's of Science in Nursing: BSN programs are offered by colleges and universities and can be used to broaden the scope and depth of student nursing skills. Many registered nurses pursue their BSN after completing their ADN. Some employers may offer work-sponsored ADN-to-BSN programs. Those wishing to pursue advanced rehabilitation nursing careers may find more opportunities available to them with the completion of a BSN program.
 
  • Diploma from an approved hospital program: Some hospitals offer diploma programs to individuals interested in moving into a nursing career. Such programs take about three years to complete and generally offer the same entry-level opportunities as those holding an ADN.
 
Those interested specifically in rehabilitation nursing may want to talk to an educational institution about specific electives or other opportunities related to their field.

Prior Work Experience

Rehabilitation nurses work in a variety of public and private healthcare settings and benefit from an equally varied collection of healthcare experiences. Medical and surgical skills are important to becoming a rehabilitation nurse. Personal characteristics such as patience, physical fitness, innovative thinking and the ability to work as a team are also key. Any work experiences that build and strengthen these skills promote the success of a rehabilitation nurse.

Career Advancement

Rehabilitation nurses have a variety of opportunities available to them. From an entry-level position as a clinical staff nurse, a rehabilitation nurse can become a clinical nurse specialist, nurse case manager, supervisor, manager, coordinator, director, nurse educator, research nurse or administration executive.
 
The opportunities for advancement as a rehabilitation nurse depend largely on the facility in which they work. Rehabilitation nurses are often found in hospitals, long-term care facilities, private clinics and industrial medicine facilities offering both inpatient and outpatient care.

Related Associations and Groups

  • American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
  • American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Association of Rehabilitation Nurses
  • Rehabilitation Nurses Certification Board
  • The Rehabilitation Research Center for Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury.
 
Share |