How do you become a rehabilitation nurse?
A rehabilitation nurse is a registered nurse who helps patients regain independence after injury, stroke, spinal cord injury or surgery, and teaches them and their families to manage a disability or chronic illness over time.
Where they work
Inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, rehab units, skilled nursing facilities, home health and outpatient programs. Nurses work with physical, occupational and speech therapists as a team.
Path and certification
An RN license is the base, and many nurses start in medical-surgical nursing first. The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses offers the certified rehabilitation registered nurse (CRRN) credential, which is voluntary and requires practice experience.
Demand
An older population and more survivors of stroke and injury raise demand. The BLS projects 5.6% RN growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 180,800 openings a year, and RNs earned a median of $97,550 in May 2025.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.