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Advancing Rehabilitation Nursing Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration at ISPRM
At the recent International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) World Congress, rehabilitation professionals from around the globe gathered for a workshop titled “Physicians’ Role in Developing the Multidisciplinary Team and Rehabilitation Nursing in Rehabilitation Medicine.” Led by IRF Vice President Mary Elizabeth Nelson-Biersach with expert speakers Drs. Taslim Uddin, Abena Tannor, and Andrew Haig, the session explored the essential role of rehabilitation nursing within interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams.
Discussions highlighted the unique contributions rehabilitation nurses make across the continuum of care—from acute hospitalization and inpatient rehabilitation to community reintegration and long-term health management. Participants examined the global shortage of formal rehabilitation nursing education and the opportunities to strengthen rehabilitation systems through nursing workforce development, leadership, and specialized training.
A key theme of the workshop was that high-quality rehabilitation depends on strong interdisciplinary collaboration. Rehabilitation nurses serve as critical connectors within the team, integrating rehabilitation principles into daily care, reinforcing functional goals, promoting patient and family education, and supporting continuity of care across settings. As rehabilitation services continue to expand worldwide, investment in rehabilitation nursing will be essential to improving access, outcomes, and the overall effectiveness of rehabilitation systems.
The workshop generated valuable dialogue and new opportunities for international collaboration aimed at advancing rehabilitation nursing practice and strengthening rehabilitation care globally.
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What IRF does
We connect and cultivate a community of global leaders to catalyze the development of physical medicine and rehabilitation practices in low-resource countries and to stimulate worldwide actions for providing rehabilitation medicine to some of the world's most vulnerable patients.
Globally, there are 1 billion persons living with disability, with approximately 80% residing in low resource countries.
Rehabilitation Medicine is fundamental for restoring function and improving the quality of life in persons with disability, yet Rehabilitation Medicine remain under-developed in low to middle income countries, where the need is greatest.
IRF's Impact
Transformative change requires constant battles with working in isolation and breaking down barriers. We find and train pioneers leading the way to build sustainable rehabilitation medicine practices in countries where they are absent or limited. These pioneering leaders are IRF's Fellows from Ethiopia, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, and more.
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IRF works with local physicians in low-resource countries who are pioneering the way to provide rehabilitation medicine to some of the world's most vulnerable patients.
Donating to IRF enables us to bring more pioneering leaders into our fellowship, provide support systems to existing Fellows, and ensure collaborations between Fellows, organizations, and volunteers to respond to critical needs of places where rehabilitation medicine is scarce or absent.
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We partner with passionate professionals on exciting projects. Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds. If you want to support IRF's work and have a passion for advancing access to PM&R, we'd love to collaborate.
Become IRF's Fellows
IRF Fellows are the global leaders who are pioneering the way to provide rehabilitation medicine practices to some of the world's most vulnerable patients. They champion collaborative efforts that transform the healthcare paradigm. IRF Fellows are the ultimate pathfinders who can provide care that has never been available before in their countries.
