Rehabilitation Concepts for the Acute Care Nurse

The integration of rehabilitation concepts into nursing practice across the continuum of care is crucial to the achievement of positive client outcomes.The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses recommends that rehabilitation nurses are present in all healthcare settings in which rehabilitation is provided.However, a rehabilitation nurse is not always available.Based upon the incorporation of rehabilitation concepts into educational programs, the acute care nurse should be able to recognize aspects of rehabilitation in his or her role.The aim of this article is to review competencies of rehabilitation nursing and discuss the role of the acute care nurse in the care of rehabilitation clients in the absence of a rehabilitation nurse.