APNs working in rehab

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Aug 27, 2015

My first NP position after graduation was with a university-affiliated Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation group. I actually saw the posting, applied, got an interview, and was offered a position even before I got my NP certification and with no rehab RN experience (my background is Critical Care and ED). The NP's and PA's work alongside Physiatrists in a free standing Acute In-patient Rehabilitation Hospital with multiple specialty units (Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, Orthopedic, and General Rehab).

We also did PM&R consults at two referring hospitals which were part of the health system. As this is a university-affiliated medical group, we also had PM&R residents. I liked that specialty for the laid-back environment and "happy" vibe in the rehab setting. It's also very multi-disciplinary in approach. However, my interest is always Critical Care so I stayed for a year and a half with the group and found a Critical Care NP position later, a field I have stayed at since. I still see PM&R NP postings every now and then so I think there is a market for it for APN's.

Since you asked about APN roles, were you interested in NP or CNS? There were CNS's in that free standing acute rehab hospital as well.

rosettarn10 · Aug 28, 2015

My first NP position after graduation was with a university-affiliated Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation group. I actually saw the posting, applied, got an interview, and was offered a position even before I got my NP certification and with no rehab RN experience (my background is Critical Care and ED). The NP's and PA's work alongside Physiatrists in a free standing Acute In-patient Rehabilitation Hospital with multiple specialty units (Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, Orthopedic, and General Rehab).
We also did PM&R consults at two referring hospitals which were part of the health system. As this is a university-affiliated medical group, we also had PM&R residents. I liked that specialty for the laid-back environment and "happy" vibe in the rehab setting. It's also very multi-disciplinary in approach. However, my interest is always Critical Care so I stayed for a year and a half with the group and found a Critical Care NP position later, a field I have stayed at since. I still see PM&R NP postings every now and then so I think there is a market for it for APN's.
Since you asked about APN roles, were you interested in NP or CNS? There were CNS's in that free standing acute rehab hospital as well.

Thank you for the feedback. I want to do Adult Geriatric NP but fell in love with rehab nursing so wanted to know if I could continue working in the area if I was to become a NP. Currently the hospital am going to work for is a university hospital in which I can further education for free but they got rid of traditional MSN APN programs and now offer advanced generalist MSN and you have to get DNP for APN programs.

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Aug 28, 2015

You could do an AGNP and find a job in rehab that only treats adults. That was pretty much the setting I worked for. There is a Pediatric PM&R subspecialty and most are based in Children's Hospitals.

allnurses Guide · Aug 30, 2015

I'm in Pittsburgh and definitely see a ton of jobs for PM&R nurse practitioners.