Nursing Excellence at Burke Rehabilitation

Burke Rehabilitation is supported by a nursing staff of over 300 professionals. The nursing leadership team takes a hands-on approach, working closely with 24/7/365 on-site nursing staff and empowering them to be the best clinicians they can be. This close connection to both staff and patients highlights the impact that the highly skilled nurses have on recovery journeys every day. Even with an incredibly complex patient population, Burke has the highest readmission prevention rate among the nation’s top-ranked rehabilitation hospitals, with 69% of patients discharged to the community to continue their care. These outcomes would not be possible without the nursing staff at Burke, who bring an unmatched level of expertise and compassion to every patient interaction.

How are nurses at Burke empowered and encouraged?

Burke is committed to initiatives that empower nurses to further develop their expertise. The organization launched a nursing clinical ladder to provide nurses with opportunities to build their skillsets and earn new credentials and certifications. Burke encourages nurses to become CRRN certified, the gold standard for rehabilitation nurses, reflecting an organization-wide commitment to continued education and professional development that strengthens individual clinicians and helps keep Burke at the cutting edge of clinical standards and innovations.

Burke is also helping shape the nursing workforce of the future through the Burke Nurse Externship Program, which gives nursing students the opportunity to shadow clinicians and learn more about the field. With a thoughtful eye on the future of nursing, the program serves as a pipeline for recruiting talented members to Burke clinical staff by allowing students to spend ten weeks on the Burke campus experiencing what it is like to be part of the nursing unit.

Nurses are central to the organization’s work to remain at the forefront of innovation, often translating organizational investments and new technology into clinical practices that improve outcomes and experience for patients. For example, fall prevention is an important focus area. SMART Beds, an innovative technology that helps prevent falls by displaying fall safety information directly on the floor at the foot of the bed, allow nurses to quickly identify when interventions need to be reset. As a result, according to the Exchanged Quality Data for Rehabilitation (EQUADR), Burke’s falls rate is consistently lower than the national benchmark. Burke also introduced on-site hemodialysis, an investment that expanded care for patients with kidney and late-stage renal disease. A crucial part of introducing this service was ensuring nurses had the support and skills needed for this patient population. Burke is New York’s first and only free-standing rehabilitation hospital to offer on-site hemodialysis. The nursing staff’s skill and willingness to embrace new challenges made these innovations possible and continue to improve patient outcomes.

What role does nursing place in the future of Burke?

Nurses play a vital role in the strategic future of Burke. The future of nursing at Burke is closely connected to the many initiatives and innovations underway across the organization’s continuum of care.

We are currently in the midst of an exciting time for nursing at Burke, as we embark on our journey to be designated by the Magnet Recognition Program. Led by the American Nurses Association, Magnet Status recognizes organizations where nursing leaders align strategic nursing goals to improve patient outcomes. The culture of Magnet organizations leads to higher nurse engagement, lower nurse turnover, higher patient satisfaction, and improved clinical outcomes. This effort would formally recognize the organization’s dedication to excellence in nursing.

To achieve Magnet Recognition, the nursing team is undergoing an extensive process. The journey began with the establishment of two Professional Governance Councils, focused on Nurse Engagement and Nursing Professional Practice. Professional governance ensures bedside nurses’ voices are represented in decisions about the organization’s strategic future, empowering them to influence day-to-day operations on their units and make decisions that support high-quality care. Our nursing team is energized by the Magnet journey and the future of nursing at Burke.