Volunteer RN to help elderly people exercise

[jensfbay, BSN, DNP]

Hello. I need some pointers on how rehab nurses assist their patients with therapy. I plan on doing a volunteer work at the local YMCA to help elderly people who have some heart condition or who have recovered from an outpatient rehab. I was told all I need to do is to check blood pressure and their heart rate.

I've had about 1.5 years experience in cardiac nursing but not really rehab. I asked about liabilities, and the facility said the clients signed a form.

So, any pointers? Thanks in advance.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

When I was a rehab nurse, I never participated in assisting my patients with therapy. That was normally the job of the therapy team (physical therapists, occupational therapists, COTAs, and LPTAs).

The restorative nursing assistants (RNAs) were the ones who typically exercised the elderly patients and maintained their level of functioning.

[1studentnurse]

I was a rehab nurse in an acute facility, and as a nurse, I never participated in therapy per se outside of having the patient perform ADLs (dressing, tooth brushing, feeding, etc.)

In our facility, the OTs actually evaluated all the ADL work and the PTs worked with the strengthening and therapy portions (although there is often overlap on some things).

I talked to an instructor about doing similar volunteer work with a parish nurse and she advised me against it. You have to be very careful if you volunteer and people know you are a nurse. Be certain that your organization or your malpractice insurance covers you in the event there is some problem. The majority of people will not sue you, but you just never know.