Rehabilitation nurses help individuals affected by chronic illness or physical disability to adjust/adapt to their disabilities, achieve their greatest potential, and work toward productive, independent lives. They have excellent functional assessment skills and take a comprehensive approach to care. They are team leaders and integrate all aspects of an individual’s care and recovery. They manage complex medical issues; collaborate with other specialists; provide ongoing patient/caregiver/family/community education; and establishe plans of care with goals to promote and maintain the most optimal level of function, independence, and wellness possible. They are particularly skilled at working with others to adapt ongoing care to the resources available.

They serve a diverse population. Infants, children, adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults with disabling conditions receive specialized home care nursing support from rehabilitation nurses. Each group has its own age related set of developmental, functional, psychosocial, and disease prevalence issues.

Some of the conditions which rehabilitation nurses address are: cancer rehabilition, cardiac rehabilitation (after heart attack/heart surgery, pulmonary rehabilitation (COPD, cystic fibrosis), stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, neurological diseases ( such as multiple sclerosis, parkinson’s disease), genetic anomalies evident at birth or in infancy. Some special issues related to these conditions are mobility/immobility, safety, bowel and bladder function, skin integrity, swallowing, sensory and perceptual patterns, sexuality, coping skills of client and family, communication.

The value of home care nurses with rehabilitation credentials cannot be overemphasized in today’s health care climate. They act as advocates for clients and their families during the reentry process from hospital into the home and community, coordinating services provided by the interdisciplinary team and enacting the plan of care developed by the nurse, client, family, physician. The care is client driven, with goals of developing self management skills in the home setting and restoring the client’s relationships with family members and the community.

Our staff here at Blue Ridge Home Health is proud of our organization and its commitment to provide comprehensive, relevant, and effective care for all of our home care clients.