Expanding the role of nurses in rehabilitation.

The role of nurses in geriatric rehabilitation is an aggregate of responsibilities directed toward planning realistic and meaningful restorative measures for disabled elderly persons. Nurse practitioners in this field are challenged to provide intelligent, competent bedside care, but it is equally important that they strive to create a milieu in which meaningful stimulation and sensory input are deliberately introduced. The geriatric rehabilitation nurse may be defined as a jack-of-all-trades and as a master of innovation. In the absence of a physical, occupational, or speech therapist, the nurse should be able to institute safe and stimulating activity programs. In the absence of a social worker, the nurse should have the interviewing and counseling skills that will enable intelligent intervention with helpful guidance in a social crisis.