What Does a Rehabilitation Nurse Do?
Rehabilitation nurses help patients with chronic illness and disabling injuries regain their independence. They collaborate with other healthcare professionals, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, and speech therapists, regarding patient care.
Primary Responsibilities
- Direct patient care
- Develop and implement learning resources and discharge plans
- Coordinate nursing care in collaboration with team members
- Serve as a resource and leader for nursing and healthcare staff
- Facilitate community education about people with disabilities
- Advocate at the legislative level
Key Skills
- Client advocacy
- Collaboration
- Leadership
- Research
- Teaching skills
Where Do Rehabilitation Nurses Work?
Rehabilitation nurses work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation centers, community and home healthcare, and long-term care facilities. Listed below are the typical duties rehab nurses perform in some of these workplaces.
Hospitals
Nurses provide rehabilitation care and services, manage personnel and resources, and support research activity.
Rehabilitation Centers
Nurses educate patients and family, direct patient care, collaborate with clients, families, and the rehab team, and advocate for clients.
Community and Home Health Facilities
Nurses assess patients, create and implement goals and care plans, and work with the healthcare team.
Why Become a Rehab Nurse?
Like all nursing careers, rehabilitation nursing offers rewards and challenges. The chart below outlines some of the pros and cons within the profession.
Advantages to Becoming a Rehab Nurse
Disadvantages to Becoming a Rehab Nurse
How to Become a Rehabilitation Nurse
Rehabilitation Nursing: Advanced Practice vs. RN Roles
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who specialize in rehabilitation and RN rehabilitation nurses share some overlapping duties, but APRN-level practitioners take on more supervisory, management, and research roles and responsibilities.
APRN Rehabilitation Nurse
- Consultant: Finds and coordinates cases, liaises with third-party payers and other healthcare professionals, and advocates for clients
- Direct Care Provider: Manages patients, serves as a clinical expert, acts as a crisis intervention resource, collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, and implements cost-effective technologies
- Manager: Hires, trains, and evaluates staff, formulates policies and procedures, collects and evaluates program data, and monitors and ensures safe and high-quality services
- Researcher: Guides development of research-based nursing, conducts, shares, or contributes to research, and directs data evaluation
RN Rehabilitation Nurse
- Caregiver: Assesses clients, develops and implements adaptable care plans, and evaluates and modifies care plans to achieve goals and objectives
- Client Advocate: Listens to and guides clients and families, advocates at the policy level, helps clients achieve success when they return to work or school
- Collaborator: Develops goals for clients, families, and rehabilitation teams, participates in conferences and meetings, and works with rehab team members
- Teacher: Educates nurses, clients, and families about diseases and disabilities
How Much Do Rehabilitation Nurses Make?
According to Payscale, the average RN-level rehabilitation nurse salary totals $74,122 per year. Certification leads to increases in both salary and job opportunities, with the average CRRN making $94,000 annually — earnings that exceed the average pay for all RNs.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 5% increase in RN jobs from 2024-2034. By contrast, the projected change in employment for all occupations totals 3% for the same period. Demand for RNs should increase due to an aging population facing greater incidences of chronic illness and disabilities and who tend to seek care in either long-term residential facilities or their own homes.