Subacute Nurse, Subacute Nursing Schools, Training, Education, Jobs, and Careers

What is a Subacute Nurse?
The field of subacute care nursing is a growing one. It’s newer specialty field that has been in the developing stages during the past few decades. Basically, it is providing nursing care to patients who no longer need acute care but don't yet need long-term care either.

The sub-acute patient is in need of 24-hour supervision for a certain amount of time but is stable enough not to need acute care. This patient may need pain or wound management, ventilator support or intravenous therapy.

Nursing, just like most medical care, has, over the years, become so much more specialized that one finds different levels of care being offered in different locations. Subacute care nursing can be broken down even further. There are nurses who focus on infectious disease care, physical rehabilitation, neurology rehabilitation, wound care, cardiac rehabilitation or post-operative care.

How to Become a Subacute Nurse:
To be able to work as a subacute care nurse, you will first have to get your nursing degree. After you have finished high school and have your diploma or a GED, you must take the ACT or the SAT exam in order for you to get into an accredited nursing school.

You should just decide to go to an accredited nursing school for two or four years and earn your associate degree or bachelor of science degree or BSN. Going about it in this way will most likely make you more competitive and you would probably earn a greater salary. After you have earned your associate or BSN, you must pass the licensing exam called the NCLEX-RN or the National Council Licensing Exam. Once you pass the exam, you are now able to practice your nursing skills.

There are certain things that a subacute care nurse should be proficient in. Some of these subjects are:

• Knowledge and technology skills necessary to deal with problems that should arise in acute care nursing
• Rehabilitation knowledge
• Knowledge of pharmacology
• Standard nursing skills that would involve examinations
• Acute assessment skills
• Knowing how to give certain tests
• How to monitor patients

The field of subacute nursing is expected to see continued growth particularly because of our aging population. There will be more of a need for acute and subacute care. This field of nursing will also continue to grow due to advances in medical technology.

This factor has enabled many people to survive injury or illness that would have, in years past, not have been survivable. This newer field of nursing will continue to grow because of its cost-effectiveness. Patients are not kept nearly as long in an acute care setting.

You will find subacute care nurses working mainly in subacute units that are located in or near hospitals, long-term care facilities or nursing homes. These special nurses are able to help patients of every age. However, geriatric patients will probably be the majority of their patients.

Subacute Nurse Salary:
Sub-acute nurses make very good money. The national average pay is $73,000 per year. This pay will continue to go up as you gain more experience and years of service.

Subacute Nursing School:
There are quite a few good nursing schools out there. One we like is Rasmussen College. They offer online and campus programs. You need to check them out. Get their free information while you’re there. Click this link to get started.

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