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Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Nursing (PMR)

Join the most comprehensive acute rehabilitation program in Central New York. Bring the unique perspective that only a nurse can offer to the rehabilitation team. When the body is broken, a life is disrupted. Whether by injury or illness, in an instant, things we take for granted — the ability to walk, talk, or dress oneself — can be lost. As a nurse you can provide hope, and acceptance and assist your patient to gain mastery of their new life.

Acute Rehabilitation Nursing is a specialty that is challenging, rewarding and a great learning experience.

PM&R nursing has the responsibility of:

  • Assisting the patient and family in learning information, physical skills, coping mechanisms to become as independent as possible.
  • Viewing each patient in a holistic manner.
  • Advocating for the patient's right to make informed decisions.
  • Providing compassionate nursing care to both patient and their supportive members/family.

PM&R nursing provides:

  • A preceptor competency-based orientation program.
  • A unit nurse educator to help with continuing education in the newest procedures and skills using demonstration, hands-on, video, computer web site and on-site conferences.
  • Professional child-life and spiritual support.
  • Reimbursements for attaining and maintaining specialty certification. We promote all RN's to attain their certification in Rehabilitation Nursing — CRRN (Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse).
  • A key role with patient discharge planning, as a member of a team consisting of Physical, Occupation, Recreation, Vocation, Speech Therapies, Social Work, Psychology, Pharmacy, Dietary, Case Management and Physiatrists (Physicians specializing in PM&R).
  • Participation in daily team planning rounds and family meetings. Patients and their families have at least one meeting with all members of our interdisciplinary team.
  • Tuition reimbursement for additional degrees in nursing.
  • 24 hours availability of language interpretation/translation services.
  • A RN-to-patient ratio of 1:6, with additional LPN and non-licensed support during day/evening hours.
  • Flexible scheduling models which support your life outside of work.

Join our nursing staff on this 30-bed unit. Care for adult and pediatric patients recovering from a wide range of injuries and illnesses. Our nurses pride themselves on being specialists in rehabilitation nursing, and having knowledge of the varied diagnoses we care for.

Typical diagnoses of our patients include:

  • Spinal cord injury (acute and non traumatic) such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia/tetraplegia and spina bifida.
  • Brain injury such as direct trauma, anoxic encephalopathy, brain tumor and intracerebral bleeding.
  • Neurologic impairments, such as stroke/brain attack, Parkinson's disease and peripheral neuropathies.
  • Orthopedic injuries, such as surgical amputation, joint replacements, multiple orthopedic trauma and osteo-rheumatic arthritis.
  • Deconditioning as a result of surgery, such as Cerebral Palsy-baclofen pump placements, burns, cancer, coma, respiratory diseases, pain, CABG, West Nile, Lupus, childhood acquired health changes such as shunt revisions.
  • Pediatric patients with trauma-acquired injuries, such as head trauma, MVA, fall, brain anoxia, diabetic insipidus, cancer/tumor or bacterial/gangrenous induced surgical amputees and seizure disorders.

Our renovated unit has:

  • Eight private rooms with optional video surveillance for patient safety.
  • A secure pharmacy dispensing room that uses the Pyxis computer dispensing system.
  • A day room that accommodates family-patient interactions without stressing a roommate.
  • A dining area, near the nurses station for community interaction and allows the support family to learn and be involved in new eating skills.
  • To save patient energies during therapy transitions, same floor PT, OT, ADL kitchen, cognition-speech, conference and treatment rooms.

Acute rehabilitation nursing is dedicated to helping patients achieve their maximum functional capacity and highest quality of life.

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