The rehabilitation nurse in the home care setting: treating chronic wounds as a disability

Rehabilitation nurses have moved into the home care setting; along with other home care nurses, they treat clients with chronic wounds. A rehabilitation nurse, however, views the homebound client needing wound care as having a disability that requires lifestyle modification. Rehabilitation nurses also treat clients with other disabilities who are at risk for developing wounds, so they are in an ideal position to instruct clients in wound prevention. Rehabilitation nurses in home care have the skills and expertise to assess clients needing wound care for deficits that might otherwise be overlooked.