SPECIALTY INFO REQUEST

WannaBDukeNurse · Oct 22, 2002

Im interested in going into this field as well. Im curious, how long was the shortest, and how long was the longest rehab that you got to work with a pt?

jevans · Oct 22, 2002

WannaBdukenurse

As posted before I work in a stroke rehab unit

Our average length of stay is 40 days

Our shortest stay was 2hrs- patient too medically unstable

Our longest is 190 days give or take a few

Information that we give pt and family on admission is that the pt will stay until the pt reaches their optium level of independence, as determined by the multidisciplinary team

However discharge planning is actually commenced on admission ie referal to social worker, preparing for goal planning, home visits etc

Hope this is useful

j

CashewLPN, LPN · Oct 23, 2002

jevans-- got your short stay beat...

pt lasted 1/2 hour-- died before the admission was finished...

typically, they hang around a month before we d/C them

--Barbara

WannaBDukeNurse · Oct 23, 2002

wow that is sad about the 1/2 hour pt. Thanks for the info guys!

jevans · Oct 27, 2002

Barbara

your post made me feel sad and angry that a person had been deemded fit enough for rehab but was sick enough to die in 1/2 hr

what was the circumstances?

jacky

nurspract · Jan 6, 2003

your post made me feel sad and angry that a person had been deemded fit enough for rehab but was sick enough to die in 1/2 hr "

Unfort., I too have had admissions that fit the above scenario. Most have be transfered back to the hospital that sent them to us. I think the push to get patients out of the hospitals is to blame for some of this. We are doing a QI project to look at these admits... I work in a ped/adult rehab facility. The unstable patients have been in the adult population.

Lucy

nrs-jlm · Mar 25, 2003

Hello everyone, I'm currently working in an acute care hospital and need a change!I'm looking into rehab nursing. All the posts were very helpful! Does anyone know of any good facilities in Northern California?

mom and nurse · Jan 8, 2004

This is a great thread which was started some time ago and which answered many questions I had about rehab nursing. Its good to see such positive posts. I'm doing my senior practicum in rehab nursing this semester because

1. I love the idea of being able to spend more time with (getting to know) the patient and their family.

2. It appears that educating the patient and the family is a big part of the job.

3. Rehab nurses, though sometimes seeming to have a larger patient workload, also seem to be quite happy with what they are doing (I could be wrong.....but from other posts I've read this seems to be the case)

4. Hey...I don't mind working with the geriatric population and I like the idea that a large majority of rehab is with older people. But I also like the idea that there are folks of all ages I'd have as patients.

Thanks from a senior student interested in rehab.

:kiss

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jan 19, 2004

I just re-entered Rehab nursing after leaving two years ago. Don't ask me why. I'm happy to be back. The great thing about it is that you get to see real positive outcomes for all your hard work. You get to do a lot of patient teaching. And you get to know your patients because they stay longer than 24 hours. And, if they really are a problem--they don't stay forever! I work in a small 16-bed Acute Rehab unit that is part of a small community hospital. That department is the jewel of the hospital, as far as I'm concerned. Our patient satisfaction index is three percent higher than the national average. What I'm proudest is the patient that walked out of the hospital after not walking for 24 years! There's a sense of accomplishment and teamwork in the Rehab setting that is hard to find anywhere else.

mom and nurse · Jan 19, 2004

Thanks SallyRN. I'm really looking forward to my practicum in rehab nursing and think I am really going to enjoy it. It seems the nurses really enjoy what they were doing. Previously I had a degree in another field which dealt with special education and I remember the excitement of seeing a child walk unassisted who we thought would not be able to (the child was six).

I'm still a student, last semester, and i'm praying something will open up for me in this area after I graduate.

Thanks again. :)

oramar · Feb 18, 2004

The majority of my patients are ortho but my unit rehabilitates all kinds of patients. I work very, very hard. Last night I took care of 13 patients. I was the only RN and there was a LPN and 2 aides. There was an admission and two of my patients had medical problems. I had to keep moving or fall behind. That is not to say I do not like it. I really enjoy seeing the great strides people make on our unit. Many, many people are carried in on stretchers in a totally debilitated state, unable to even feed themselves or wash their faces. Most of these are walking and caring for themselves by the time they leave. That makes me feel so good.

oramar · Feb 18, 2004

The majority of my patients are ortho but my unit rehabilitates all kinds of patients. I work very, very hard. Last night I took care of 13 patients. I was the only RN and there was a LPN and 2 aides. There was an admission and two of my patients had medical problems. I had to keep moving or fall behind. That is not to say I do not like it. I really enjoy seeing the great strides people make on our unit. Many, many people are carried in on stretchers in a totally debilitated state, unable to even feed themselves or wash their faces. Most of these are walking and caring for themselves by the time they leave. That makes me feel so good.

I feel I need to mention the down side of rehab nursing. The patients are supposed to come to you in a stable medical condition....NOT! Also, since even the stable ones have recently been very ill they can become unstable very quickly. These units are staffed for stable patients. I have frequently find myself doing one on one nursing while waiting for patients to be transfered to a unit where they can be cared for at the level they need. You would be shocked at how long that takes in some instances. I find myself reaching very deep into my med/surg, telemetry experience to find the skills I need to care for such unstable people.