Rehabilitative Nurse plays a major, multiple role in improving the quality of life for clients with disability or a chronic illness. She collaborates with the interdisciplinary team in restoring the function within the limitations imposed by the disease condition. She is an advocate for the clients and their family during the transition process from hospital to home. She coordinates the services provided by the rehabilitation team (skilled Home Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Speech therapy, Medical Care Taker and Medical Social Worker) by executing the plan of care formulated by the team along with the client and client’s family member.

She is a Nurse Practitioner who has the Clinical Resource for the care of the client, addressing the crisis situation, proper assessment, smooth transition and safely adapting the changes that are implemented. She is the primary care person for the client. She is a Nurse consultant who can identify the problems, does case management and home care skilled nursing. She is a researcher on client’s families, evaluation, nursing procedures etc. She is an educator for client and their family, field staff, adaptive equipment training for the client, continuous nurse education, explanation of policies and procedures and the distribution of educational material for clients and their families.

To summarize, Rehabilitation Nurse works with the clients and their family members to create a recovery plan and set short term and long term goals thereby achieving independent lifestyle as much as possible. They have an opportunity to have a long lasting relationship with the clients and it is so fulfilling.

Would like to know more on how home care can play a major role in recovery? Visit this blog post.

References:
1. www.rehabnurse.org
2. www.discovernursing.com
3. www.ncbi.hlm.nih.gov