All Rehabilitation Nursing News

Dr. Patricia Quigley's April 2021 President's Message discusses steps ARN and other organizations can take to address the aging nursing workforce by researching workflow, practice, and environmental changes that support older nurses' health and function.

Don't miss an important webinar focusing on certain patients hit especially hard by the COVID-19 virus. Sally Strong, RN APRN CNRN CRRN, will shed light on how this coronavirus can spark an overreaction in some individuals' immune systems. Strong will discuss the adverse effects that can take place in the cardiopulmonary, hematologic, and neurologic systems. This webinar will explore techniques to meet the needs of COVID-19 patients in a rehab setting and include a discussion about the long-term consequences of COVID that rehab nurses will encounter in their patients in the coming decades.

We are pleased to present the March issue of the ARN Health Policy Digest. This member benefit provides updates on health policy and legislative and regulatory developments that may be of interest to rehabilitation nurses.

A new publication co-authored by ARN Board Member Dr. Grace Campbell discusses the challenges of pain management in patients with serious illnesses and a history of substance use disorders (SUDs).

The Certified Registered Rehabilitation Nurse (CRRN^®) exam is offered twice a year, in June and December, and offers rehab nurses an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and commitment to the field through specialty certification.

The Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) contains educational content that focuses on contemporary rehabilitation nursing practice across the continuum of care and the lifespan. The journal is published every other month and provides opportunities for professional development, as well as a forum for the dissemination of information pertinent to practice, education, research, and administration. RNJ strives to provide a journal that disseminates timely information and new trends in practice each issue.

This 8 article collection from ARN's Journal, Rehabilitation Nursing, details the impacts, both psychological and physical, of stroke, while containing research and clinical articles that focus on stroke survivors and their family caregivers.  

If you are an ARN member or a Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) subscriber, you should soon receive your March/April 2021 issue in the mail. Check out a preview of three great articles that will be gracing the pages of this issue, or visit the journal online to read the full issue.

There are many benefits to being an ARN member, but did you know that it might make you eligible for a scholarship? If you're looking to earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or are looking to earn a graduate degree like a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or a doctorate in nursing (PhD, DNP, DNS/DNSc), you should strongly consider applying for an ARN Scholarship. Each of these scholarships offers financial assistance of $1,500.

Dr. Patricia Quigley's March 2021 President's Message highlights key aspects of ARN's history and role in establishing a competency model for rehabilitation nursing, as ARN prepares to issue an updated model later this year.

We are pleased to present the February issue of the ARN Health Policy Digest. This member benefit provides updates on health policy and legislative and regulatory developments that may be of interest to rehabilitation nurses. 

Did you know that the number one reason new members cite for their decision to join ARN is that a friend or colleague referred them? Through the ARN Refer-a-Friend program, current members are able to expose their colleagues to ARN's nursing education resources, certification opportunities, an extensive network of rehab nursing professionals, and research—all while making themselves eligible to win awesome prizes like a free year of membership or complimentary conference registration.

Did you know that accidental falls is considered a national health crisis with a high-risk factor amongst individuals with cancer?  

Rehabilitation Nursing uses the online editorial management system, Editorial Manager, for submission of manuscripts. The website (https://www.editorialmanager.com/rnj/default.aspx), in addition to serving as the repository of manuscripts, provides important information for both authors and reviewers. Here is an overview of the information you can find on the Editorial Manager website.

Dear Colleagues,

As the year 2020 entered its final month, a groundbreaking, must-read article was published in The Lancet that necessitates ARN's attention and action. ARN is the only national and international specialty association for rehabilitation nurses in the world positioned to respond to the call for action posed in this article.

The ARN Board of Directors selected Kathy Clark, MSN RN CRRN FARN, and Rosemarie King, PhD RN, as the 2020 recipients of Distinguished Service Awards. This award acknowledges their service and contribution to rehabilitation nursing and to the organization as a whole. This award also recognizes their leadership and commitment to the field through their active participation in ARN events and activities.

When you think about 2020 you may think about vision. 20/20 vision is a term that indicates normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance.

ARN is excited to announce plans to renew Encompass Health as an institutional member for the year 2021-2022. Established in 2020, this partnership allows ARN to enhance its advocacy for rehabilitation nursing and the improvement of healthcare delivery.

Happy new year, ARN members! We are pleased to present the January 2021 issue of the ARN Health Policy Digest. This member benefit provides updates on health policy and legislative and regulatory developments that may be of interest to rehabilitation nurses.

ARN is proud to announce that three ARN members have been officially appointed to National Quality Forum (NQF) committees. NQF's mission is to promote and ensure patient protections and healthcare quality through measurement and public reporting. The ARN and NQF work hand in hand to support quality health care delivery. This partnership now includes three ARN appointees who will provide vital rehabilitation nursing perspectives to the following national NQF Committees:

In June of last year following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, ARN 2019-2020 President Barbara Lutz, PhD RN CRRN PHNA-BC FAHA FAAN and Executive Director Gayle Irvin, MPH CAE issued a joint statement on racism and public health. In the statement, Barb and Gayle wrote, "ARN is committed to standing with our nursing, public health, and community partners to address issues of racial inequality, health inequity, and implicit bias. As rehabilitation nurses, we are committed to helping people recover from disabling illness and injury and prevent further disability. We can use that same commitment to address the debilitating and disabling effects of racism on the health and well-being of our citizens and our communities. It is our duty…it is our calling."

We love to celebrate all the hard work Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN^®) certificants put into their patient care and how they show their knowledge and passion by earning the CRRN. This month, we are recognizing Amy Martin-Madeley, MAEd BSN RN CRRN, and her commitment to rehabilitation nursing.

A statement from ARN President Dr. Patricia A. Quigley in response to the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

If you are an ARN member or a Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) subscriber, you should soon receive your January/February 2021 issue in the mail. Check out a preview of three great articles that will be gracing the pages of this issue, or visit the journal online to read the full issue.

In her first President's Message of 2021, Dr. Patricia Quigley calls on rehabilitation nurses to fill in gaps within existing COVID-19 research literature by publishing their stories, and, in doing so, assert the vital role of rehabilitation nurses in the care of COVID patients, their families, and their caregivers.

ARN is seeking reviewers to read and evaluate abstract submissions for its 2021 annual conference, which will be held November 10-13 in Providence, Rhode Island. If you hold a BSN degree or higher and are an ARN member in good standing, you are eligible to participate!  

 We are pleased to present the December issue of the ARN Health Policy Digest. This member benefit provides updates on health policy and legislative and regulatory developments that may be of interest to rehabilitation nurses.

The Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) contains educational content that focuses on contemporary rehabilitation nursing practice across the continuum of care and the lifespan. The journal is published every other month and provides opportunities for professional development, as well as a forum for the dissemination of information pertinent to practice, education, research, and administration. RNJ editors strive to provide a journal that disseminates timely information and new trends in practice each issue.

Revisiting a popular Rehabilitation Nursing Journal study that used manual and automatic chronometers to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the timed up and go test in women with fibromyalgia.

The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) Past-President Barbara J. Lutz, PhD RN CRRN PHNA-BC FAHA FAAN, awarded Michelle Camicia, PhD MSN RN NEA-BC CCM CRRN FAHA PHN FARN, the 2020 President's Award. The award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of rehabilitation nursing, was presented at REACH 2020, ARN's Annual Educational Conference held virtually October 21–24.

On October 21, ARN inducted its 2020 class of fellows during the REACH 2020 virtual conference. Established in 2019, the ARN Fellow Designation (FARN) is the most distinguished level of member, as well as a public hallmark of professional esteem.  

In her December 2020 President's Message, Dr. Patricia Quigley reflects on 2020 Year of the Nurse and Midwife celebrations in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and applauds ARN members for their resilience. In the spirit of giving this holiday season, Dr. Quigley urges members to consider giving their colleagues a gift that keeps giving: The gift of an ARN membership.

As leaders in the rehabilitation nursing field, you know that while we are fighting the pandemic and working to limit the virus' spread, we are also facing the challenge of identifying and treating the long-term effects of COVID-19.  

 If you are an ARN member or a Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) subscriber, you should soon receive your November/December 2020 issue in the mail. Check out a preview of three great articles that will be gracing the pages of this issue, or visit the journal online to read the full issue.

In her last act as ARN's 2019-2020 President, Barbara J. Lutz, PhD RN CRRN PHNA-BC FAHA FAAN installed the incoming 2020-2021 Board of Directors on October 22 at the ARN Annual Member's Meeting during the REACH 2020 virtual conference.  

Dr. Patricia A. Quigley installed as ARN President ​ 

ARN Is Your Voice Around the World 

Since its founding in 1976, the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) remains the only nursing specialty organization for rehabilitation registered nurses recognized by the American Nurses Association. I am so proud to be your 2020-2021 President! 

ARN members practice a rehabilitation nursing philosophy of care
Having been an ARN member since 1977, I can attest that our association truly believes that rehabilitation nursing is a philosophy of care, not a work setting or a phase of treatment. We base our practice on rehabilitative and restorative principles by:

• managing complex medical issues
• collaborating with other specialists
• providing ongoing patient/caregiver education
• setting goals for maximum independence
• establishing plans of care to maintain optimal wellness.
  
  

The vision of ARN is "to transform health care by integrating rehabilitation nursing concepts into care for all people." To this end, our members form a community devoted to the advancement and promotion of rehabilitation nursing in every practice setting, including acute care, inpatient rehabilitation units, long-term care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and academia.

An investigation published in RNJ seeks to identify what role resilience plays in the rehabilitation outcomes of elderly people ​

In general, resilience is thought of as the capacity to bounce back from injury or trauma. With regard to older adults, resilience can be described as the ability to achieve, retain, or regain a level of physical or emotional health after illness.  

The Certified Registered Rehabilitation Nurse (CRRN^®) exam is offered twice a year, in June and December, and offers rehab nurses on the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and commitment to the field through specialty certification. Due to COVID-19, nurses who sit for the December 2020 exam will have the opportunity to test from their home or office through remote proctoring.

The Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board (RNCB) administers the Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN^®) certification program for nurses who assist individuals with disabilities and chronic illness to restore, maintain, and promote optimal health. With more than 13,000 current certificants, the CRRN has been widely recognized and respected by employers in all post-acute care settings for more than 30 years.

RNCB announces grace period and waived late fees for CRRNs due to renew in 2020 as well as remote testing for those seeking certification​

The Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board (RNCB) recognizes the undue burden and stress that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on the nursing community. In order to support rehabilitation nurses seeking to maintain or earn their Certified Registered Rehabilitation Nurse (CRRN®)  credential during these challenging times, RNCB has temporarily adjusted CRRN deadlines, fees, and testing site options.

In March 2020, the Garnet Health Medical Center (GHMC; formerly the Orange Regional Medical Center), received notice that it had earned Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation based on CARF's recent survey. The 3-year accreditation is for the medical center's inpatient rehabilitation program and the report identified no recommendations—an accomplishment achieved on only 3% of CARF surveys.

We spoke with ARN member Carmella Pistone-Halpern, MA NEA-BC CRRN, nursing director of inpatient rehabilitation at the medical center, to learn more about this incredible achievement.

The Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) contains educational content that focuses on contemporary rehabilitation nursing practice across the continuum of care and the lifespan. The journal is published every other month and provides opportunities for professional development, as well as a forum for the dissemination of information pertinent to practice, education, research, and administration. RNJ editors strive to provide a journal that disseminates timely information and new trends in practice each issue.

In this issue of RNJ Corner, RNJ Editorial Board Member, Leslie Neal-Boylan, PhD APRN CRRN FAAN, provides tips for honing in on your manuscript submission process—starting with the planning.

ARN members are invited to participate in the First Annual Pediatric Orthopedic Symposium, which will be presented virtually by Hackensack Meridian Children's Health on September 15, 2020, 3-8:15 pm CT. This pediatric orthopedic symposium was designed collaboratively to provide physicians, rehabilitation therapists, PAs, APNs, RNs and other healthcare providers with an increased understanding of treating musculoskeletal challenges in the pediatric population. This course will provide participants with an appreciation of prompt diagnostic identification, new surgical interventions, and best practice intervention management.  

Last week the U.S. reported the largest single-day spikes of new COVID-19 cases in any country since the pandemic started, with 41 out of 50 states reporting rising infections over the past several weeks. More than 60,500 new cases were reported on Thursday July 9 alone, according to reporting by Reuters.

The Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) contains educational content that focuses on contemporary rehabilitation nursing practice across the continuum of care and the lifespan. The journal is published every other month and provides opportunities for professional development, as well as a forum for the dissemination of information pertinent to practice, education, research, and administration. RNJ editors strive to provide a journal that disseminates timely information and new trends in practice each issue.

In this issue of RNJ Corner, RNJ Editorial Board Member, Laura Dzurec, PhD PMHCNS-BC ANEF FAAN, provides tips for conducting manuscript reviews.

If you are an ARN member or a Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) subscriber, you should soon receive your July/August 2020 issue in the mail. Check out a preview of three great articles that will be gracing the pages of this issue, or visit the journal online to read the full issue.  

To celebrate the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale on May 12, 2020, we invited you to make a donation to honor a nurse or organization for their outstanding work. Thank you to the following honorees, that have clearly made an impact both on their patients and on those who donated in their honor.

Thank you to ARN member Jennifer Riccobono-Nichols, BSN RN PHN CRRN, for sharing this powerful reflection. Jennifer is a proud rehabilitation nurse who currently works in Monterey, California - at the William R. Lewis, MD Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit - Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. ARN members can connect with Jennifer in Member Circle.

 Read the latest in health policy and legislative and regulatory developments that may be of interest to rehabilitation nurses.

 The ARN Fellowship Program launched in 2019 to celebrate the Association's 45th anniversary. The inaugural class of fellows included 15 long-standing members of ARN. The ARN Fellow Designation (FARN) is the most distinguished level of membership, as well as a public hallmark of professional esteem.

If you are an ARN member or a Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) subscriber, you should soon receive your May/June 2020 issue in the mail. Check out a preview of three great articles that will be gracing the pages of this issue, or visit the journal online to read the full issue.

 ARN publishes Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) six times each year using an external publisher, currently Lippincott Williams & Wilkins in Philadelphia. The journal is provided to all ARN members as a benefit of membership; it is also sold on a subscription basis to individuals, organizations, and libraries in the United States and foreign countries.

Please join us in congratulating Maureen Musto, MS RN APRN-CNS ACNS-BC CRRN, on her recent appointment to the Development Group for Traumatic Brain Injury and Parkinson's Disease, a carefully selected group of clinicians from around the world working on the World Health Organization (WHO) Package of Rehabilitation Interventions (PRI)! 

The Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) contains educational content that focuses on contemporary rehabilitation nursing practice across the continuum of care and the lifespan. The journal is published every other month, and it provides opportunities for professional development, as well as a forum for the dissemination of information pertinent to practice, education, research, and administration. RNJ addresses current healthcare topics relevant to nursing, other professions, and rehabilitation. Your RNJ editors strive to provide a journal that disseminates timely information and new trends in practice each issue.

 Sixty percent of American adults live with at least one chronic condition, according to a Rand study. These conditions range from diabetes and asthma to arthritis, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and more—and they require daily management.

We sat down with Crystal Saulsberry, MSN, Assistant Academic Chair for Nebraska in the School of Nursing at Purdue University Global, to discuss how rehabilitation nurses can teach patients how to manage a chronic condition.

 One in four American adults is living with a disability that affects their major life activities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Rehabilitation nurses play a vital role in helping these people live happier, healthier lives.

We sat down with Lisa Riecke, MSN, faculty member in the School of Nursing at Purdue University Global, to discuss how acute care nurses can make a difference in their patients' lives.

The Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board (RNCB) is pleased to announce an exciting new feature for CRRN certification—digital badges. Digital badges allow CRRNs to immediately display a secure and verifiable digital badge on social networks, resumes, email signatures, and websites. It will also allow CRRNs to more easily share their certified status with employers.

In today's digital world, professionals want the option to share their credentials online. Digital badges are used in professional and social networking environments to recognize achievements and establish credibility in real time with a single click.

The digital badges—supported by BadgeCert Inc.—are third-party verifiable icons that are packed with information, or "metadata," about the issuing organization as well as when and how the credential was earned and when it will expire. They can represent accomplishments such as knowledge competency, attendance, participation, or the completion of a professional credential.

Learn more about digital badges, including how to share your badge on social, on our "What is Digital Badging?" page.

Peer review is the foundation of publication in scholarly journals. The quality of an article is only strengthened through a rigorous double-blind peer-review process. Double-blind peer review means the reviewers don't know who the authors are, and the authors do not know who the reviewers are. The editor is the only one who knows both the author(s) and the reviewers. Rehabilitation Nursing Journal (RNJ) reviewers number close to 100 and are most likely to be Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) members. In addition there are a fair number of reviewers who are not ARN members who are experts in their fields and volunteer their time to RNJ.

Have you been reading the Rehabilitation Nursing Journal? If not, pick up your copy today to get up-to-date on the industry insights and dynamic data that is influencing the practice of rehabilitation nursing today! ARN Members receive a free subscription.

I can't believe it's February already and the groundhog didn't see his shadow, so spring is right around the corner. We've been very busy at ARN!

ARN's 2020 Conference is in the Works

The Conference Planning Committee is well underway developing an exciting and engaging annual conference program for REACH 2020. We hope to include content that many of you have suggested on your past conference evaluations. If you'd like to be a part of the education, please consider submitting an abstract to present a paper, poster, or case study in San Antonio this coming October. The REACH call for abstracts is now open. You are all doing fantastic work in your rehab settings, and presenting at REACH is a great way to showcase your innovative work.

Strategic Planning

Last month, the board, a few members-at-large, and ARN staff met to engage in an energetic and forward-looking strategic planning session led by a nationally renowned consultant, Mary Byers. We participated in 2 days of discussion, exploration, and visioning for our future. We hope to have the final version of the plan available later in the spring and are excited about our opportunities on the horizon. More to follow!

Leadership Development

We are also re-energizing the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee, led this year by our past-president extraordinaire, Michele Cournan. We are striving to implement leadership development for those elected and create a leadership pathway for those interested in getting more involved with ARN. If you are looking to get more involved with ARN, keep an eye out for the annual call for nominations and volunteer opportunities later this year. Our current committees are underway. With the new strategic plan, new committees or volunteer opportunities may arise. We want to ensure we utilize our best resources–you, our members, to reach our goals.