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Professional Resources
Role Descriptions
The Gerontological Rehabilitation Nurse
Definition of gerontological rehabilitation nursing
The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses developed this
gerontological rehabilitation nurse role description to identify and
clarify the role of rehabilitation nurses who care for geriatric
clients and to promote a high degree of professionalism in keeping with
the established scope and standards of rehabilitation practice.
Gerontological rehabilitation nursing is a specialty practice that
focuses on the unique requirements of elderly rehabilitation clients.
Elderly clients can be categorized into the following groups: the young
old (65 through 74 years of age), the old (75 through 84 years of age)
and the old old, or frail elderly (ages 85 and above) (Schrier, 1990).
The older a population is, the less homogeneous it is; therefore, more
diverse care is required to meet the needs of the individuals within
the population. Consequently, geriatric clients warrant special
consideration.
Gerontological rehabilitation nurses consider the normal age-related
changes and the functional limitations brought about by illness or
injury in elderly people when they help an individual develop a plan of
care. Specific disabling conditions and their concomitant medical
issues dictate specific rehabilitation nursing interventions and
techniques.
Goal
Gerontological rehabilitation nurses use a holistic approach in the
assessment and provision of services to geriatric clients. Helping
geriatric clients achieve their optimal level of physical, mental, and
psychosocial well-being is the primary goal of the gerontological
rehabilitation nurse.
Settings
Gerontological rehabilitation nursing services are provided in a
wide variety of settings that include hospital-based rehabilitation
units, freestanding rehabilitation hospitals, hospital-based skilled
nursing facilities, acute care units, subacute units, long-term care
facilities, residential care facilities, home health agencies, private
and agency clinics, and governmental agencies. Nurses with advanced
education and certification also can practice independently as
gerontological nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists. Other
nurses practice gerontological rehabilitation nursing by teaching or
conducting research at the nursing school or at the university level.
Standards
Gerontological rehabilitation nurses adhere to the established
rehabilitation nursing standards of care and scope of practice as
published by the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.
Roles of the Gerontological rehabilitation nurse
The gerontological rehabilitation nurse practices in a variety of roles, including, but not limited to, those outlined below.
Advocate: The gerontological rehabilitation nurse advocates for the rights of older persons and works to dispel the myths of aging.
Clinical practitioner: The gerontological rehabilitation
nurse practitioner demonstrates clinical expertise in the care provided
to aging adults. This expertise includes assessing and identifying
problems; planning, intervening in, and evaluating care; and
participating in the interdisciplinary plan of care.
Educator: The gerontological rehabilitation nurse educator
promotes activities that lead to healthy aging and prevent disability
and also provides individualized education for clients and their
families. The gerontological rehabilitation nurse is responsible for
continually updating his or her knowledge base through in-service
education, continuing education, or formal secondary education and
training. Networking with other gerontological rehabilitation nurses to
share ideas and experiences also expands the professional practice and
knowledge base. The gerontological rehabilitation nurse also has a role
in educating the public about issues related to aging by giving
presentations and by publishing articles on related topics.
Manager: The gerontological nurse manager uses management
skills when providing for patient care in a variety of hospital and
community settings. The specialized skills and knowledge required for a
management position include maintaining up-to-date information about
federal and state regulatory statutes as well as information related to
funding for elder care programs. The gerontological rehabilitation
nurse manager must be proficient in the areas of quality assurance and
quality improvement and must be familiar with the requirements of other
accrediting bodies such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of
Healthcare Organizations and the Commission on Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities.
Consultant: The gerontological rehabilitation nurse
consultant supports other healthcare practitioners who provide
geriatric services. The consultant offers guidance in developing
programs such as those on pressure ulcer prevention and care and on
clinical issues such as Alzheimer's disease that typically pertain to
an aging population.
Researcher: The gerontological rehabilitation nurse
researcher communicates relevant research through presentations at
continuing education programs and by writing articles for professional
publications. The gerontological rehabilitation nurse researcher
participates in rehabilitation research whenever possible and seeks
opportunities to develop and conduct research projects.
Reference
Schrier, R.W. (1990). Geriatric medicine. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.
This role description was developed by the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Gerontology Special Interest Group.
You may purchase copies of these brochures in packets of 25 for $10 each.
The Gerontological Rehabilitation Nurse
Item no: rolegero
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