The primary goals of home health care nursing and rehabilitation nursing are strikingly similar. Rehabilitation nursing principles should guide home health care nurses as they formulate and deliver quality patient care. Home health care agencies eager to keep up with the emerging trends in health care delivery are encouraged to recruit and hire rehabilitation nurses. This article discusses the principles of rehabilitation nursing and demonstrates, with case examples, how these principles can be applied to the home setting and, consequently, can improve patient outcomes.
Association of Rehabilitation Nurses. (1994 ). Standards and Scope of rehabilitation nursing practice. (3rd. ed.) Glenview, Ill: Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.
2.
Preston, K.M. (1990). A team approach to rehabilitation . Home Healthcare Nurse, 8, 17-23.
3.
DeSaivo, E.A. (1988). Home care rehabilitation: The team concept. Home Health Care, 1, 1-9.
4.
Orem, D.E. (1980). Nursing: concepts of practice. New York: McGraw-Hill.
5.
Henderson, V. (1964). The nature of nursing. American journal of Nursing, 62-68.
6.
Warhola, C. (1980). Planning for home health services: A resource handbook. Report No. 90-1407. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
7.
Jaffe, K.B., & Walsh, P.A. (1993). The development of the specialty rehabilitation home care team: Supporting the creative thought process. Holistic Nursing Practice, 7, 36-41.
8.
Neal, L.J.Power pudding: Natural laxative therapy for the homebound elderly. Home Healthcare Nurse, In press.
