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Rehabilitation nurses specialize in helping patients of any age recover from debilitating injuries or chronic illnesses. In addition, they provide essential support to patients and their families or caregivers as they move from health care facilities back into their daily lives. As the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) describes, rehabilitation nurses take a holistic approach in helping patients meet not just their medical needs, but also their educational, environmental and spiritual needs so that they can fulfill their maximum potential.  Rehabilitation Nurse Career Overview A rehabilitation nurse follows a philosophy of care based on helping restore patients to active, independent lives. Among their job tasks, rehabilitation nurses create individual care plans that establish rehabilitative goals for patients, educate patients or caregivers on restorative care, and collaborate with specialists regarding patient conditions. Jobs in rehabilitative nursing are available across health care settings, including freestanding rehabilitation facilities, specialty hospitals, long-term acute care facilities, home health care agencies, clinics, schools and private practice. In these settings, rehabilitation nurses work as administrators, case managers, researchers and educators. Rehabilitation Nursing Education Rehabilitative nurses are registered nurses (RNs) who typically hold at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and demonstrate not just the medical knowledge to do the job, but an extraordinary level of patience, innovation and teamwork. Many nurses choose to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in order to become a clinical nurse specialist (CNS). And the advantages of earning your MSN include not just advancing your knowledge of rehabilitative nursing but broadening your career opportunities. After two years of experience in rehabilitation nursing, you qualify to sit for the Rehabilitation Registered Nurse certification exam that the ARN administers. Rehabilitation CNSs who have one year of relevant practical experience can also take the exam. While certification is not required for the job, the ARN highly recommends it as an achievement that shows employers and colleagues your commitment to your profession, to patients and to ongoing professional development. Rehabilitation Nurse Salary According to September 2009 data from Payscale.com, certified rehabilitation registered nurses (CRRNs) earn a median entry-level annual salary of $61,000. Rehabilitation CNSs who are certified can start their careers making a median income of $70,000 per year. Positions that pay CRRNs the best wages include nursing director, clinical nurse manager and charge nurse. As part of a compensation package, many rehabilitation nurses receive paid vacation and sick leave, 401(k) plans, flexible scheduling and tuition reimbursement. Rehabilitation Nursing Career Outlook The ongoing nursing shortage in the United States continues to present exceptional job opportunities for nurses across the country. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses in general can anticipate a 23 percent job growth rate through 2016. Technological advances, an emphasis on preventive care and a number of other factors contribute to the anticipated growth of the nursing profession. And advanced practice nurses, such as certified rehabilitation CNSs, will be needed to fill vacancies in clinical practice and in nursing education as a result of experienced nurses retiring or simply leaving the profession. Rehabilitation nurses offer patients the support they need not only to recover from illness or injury but to regain independent lives. The profession offers numerous personal and professional rewards, and with the ongoing shortage of nurses across the country, now is the perfect time to start your rehabilitation nursing education. Sources
RehabNurse.org, 2009
DiscoverNursing.com, 2009
NursingSpectrum.com, 2009
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009. |
