how is rehab nursing compare to Physical therapy work?

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Oct 22, 2008

Short answer: rehab nurses do 5000% more bowel and bladder work that PTs.

Therapists get to focus on a set discipline, generally during set aside times of the day. RNs plan 24/7 care and observe and support all the other professional efforts on the team. But bowel and bladder is ours alone. And meds.

Chaya, ASN, RN · Oct 22, 2008

Rehab is all-over physical assessment, management of meds, dressings, treatments, as well as execution of MD orders and actions recommended by PT, OT, Respiratory Therapist, Dietician, and Social Worker. 'Nother words-we work directly onder the MD to manage the big picture, 24-7, day-to-day.

Davio · Nov 7, 2008

I was working in a Rehab therapy gym as an aide (14 years!), and when I decided to go back to school, I asked around about whether PT or OT would be better. when I heard "you'd be a good nurse...it suits your personality" a few times, I started to include Nursing as well!

anyway, I had a couple of PTs tell me the same thing. basically "I like my job, but if I could do it all again, I would pick Nursing." the reasons why included greater flexibility in hours/shifts, current marketability (mind you this is 5 years ago), but number one was the incredible variety of jobs you can get with a Nursing degree...particularly a BSN. there are many opportunites in therapy, but there is nothing out there that compares. as one therapist said, "PT was the best job I could ever have for 5 years, but there is no place to go now that I want to go." he got sick of the therapy routine in a variety of settings, and didn't want to manage, so he ended up being an admissions liason and was still looking for something he liked.

I can tell you that therapy has great things about it as well. you have more control over your daily schedule and workflow (whereas nursing gets thrown at you more over the course of a day). you have the great patient relationships we all love. it's more schooling for therapy, but usually better pay.

obviously, I picked nursing. I have only been an RN for 16 months, and there were times I wondered what I had gotten into. however, with that behind me, I love all of the different options out there. I'm actually leaving my first (acute rehab) job, and going to long term care, while looking towards the future... I will be able to move to the Weekend Program eventually at the LTC facility that I am headed to (apparently it's not too much of a dogfight over these positions), getting paid 36 hours for 24 hours worth of weekend work. I can then pick up a 12 during the week in case of vacations/call-outs and get 8 overtime (in three days of work!), or I can use my schedule stability to take on some home care cases or maybe a private duty case during the week and pick up additional skills and experiences. I am a musician as well, and use this schedule to explore playing/recording in ways I have not been able to since my kids were young. only in nursing!

I'm starting to love being an RN :)

sire6240 · Nov 8, 2008

hey davio sounds a little like my adventure. currently i have a PTA and RN license in florida, i did PT for 10 years and was looking for advancement. At the time i was 44 and did not want to go back to school for 5 years to get a DPT, so i did a suicidal one year transition program to RN. my long term goal was to get into rehab, but as a RN with a BSN to combine my experience of PTA and RN and work in a dynamic rehab environment in management, hoping that by the time i was 50 i can help be part of a successful rehab team. well, it did not work that way. at the time, my teachers recommended to get one year of med/surg/tele to work on my skills. even though i learned how to manage time very well, picked up some skills along the way, i told myself this is crazy, stressfull and dangerous. then i went to a pulmonary/ventilator floor and really picked up skills and enjoyed my job an coworkers most of the time. i moved from miami to orlando to be closer to my kids and grandkids and ended up on a pulmonary/pcu floor. what a joke. i see more medical than pulmonary and things are changing on that floor for the worse. i miss therapy and contemplating going back to do PTA work and pick up RN work with an agency to make top dollar. if i'm going to work under stress and a crazy pace i want to get paid for it. when you said acute rehab, did you mean inpatient rehab or on the floors acute. well i'm going to give corrections nursing a try, but i'm happy i did not give up my license for PTA. when you said LTC, did you mean like in a SNF or LTAC? and what position would you be looking for?

Davio · Nov 8, 2008

well i'm going to give corrections nursing a try, but i'm happy i did not give up my license for PTA. when you said LTC, did you mean like in a SNF or LTAC? and what position would you be looking for?

I've heard corrections nursing is fantastic work. that struck me as odd at first, but it really seems to be the case.

the facility I'm going to will be long term care, not long term acute care. I did clinicals in LTAC and it's not for me. it's an institution run by the Phila. Archdiocese, and it seems to have a more laid back atmosphere. I will also love the continuity, and really knowing my patients and families. that's why I am a nurse!

where I am working now (3 1/2 weeks to go) is an acute inpatient rehab unit that is part of a large inner city hospital. when I volunteered there in '91-'92, folks came down from the acute floors later in their stay.... the patients are a lot sicker now, but generally only come down if they can tolerate 3 hours of PT/OT and SLP as appropriate. (or if someone THINKS they can tolerate it!) it's a great unit in terms of patient population, but I've had issues with my schedule and other non-patient-related stuff.

I will really miss working closely with the therapists though. that is one thing that is enjoyable about rehab no matter your discipline - the sense of teamwork. :)

best of luck with your nursing journey. if you have not yet, read up on these forums and subscribe to job listings to get a gander at the possibilities out there. it is truly staggering!