Is Working in Post-Acute Care Right for You?
Post-acute care (PAC) can be a great fit for nurses who want a dynamic clinical environment — without the nonstop chaos of acute care or the slower pace of rehabilitative care.
Post-acute care takes place immediately after hospitalization, when patients are medically stable but still require close monitoring and skilled care, but without the need for acute-level interventions like intubation and ventilator management. Here, you’ll still use some of your acute care skillset, but in a setting where you can breathe, think, and truly follow a patient’s progress (on most days).
Want an insider’s look at what it’s like to work as a nurse in a post-acute care facility? This article breaks it down so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.
What Does Post-Acute Mean?
PAC refers to the phase in a patient’s healthcare journey that takes over after a patient leaves an acute care setting, such as an intensive care unit (ICU), or is discharged after emergency hospitalization, but isn’t quite ready to return home. In this phase, the goal shifts from stabilizing life‑threatening conditions to helping patients regain strength, restore function, and safely transition to their next step in recovery.
Put simply, an acute care hospital handles emergencies and critical illness, while a professional post-acute center focuses on stabilizing the patient once the immediate danger has passed — bridging the gap between the hospitalization and life after it.
Where Post-Acute Services Are Offered?
Post-acute rehabilitation services are provided in a variety of settings, depending on the patient’s needs and stage of recovery. Here are some examples of facilities where this type of care can be provided:
- Hospital units
- Long-term care facilities
- Inpatient rehabilitation facilities
- Skilled nursing facilities
Additionally, there are specialized post-acute home care services that bring skilled nursing, therapy, and medical support directly to patients in their own homes.
Types of Post-Acute Settings
PAC is delivered across a variety of settings, each with its own focus, patient population, and nursing responsibilities. Understanding the differences can help nurses identify which PAC environment aligns best with their skills and career goals.
1. Rehabilitative Care
These facilities focus on intensive rehabilitation for patients recovering from major surgeries, strokes, or serious injuries. As a rehab nurse, you’ll work closely with physical, occupational, and speech therapists to track patient progress and support functional recovery.
2. Skilled Nursing Care
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) provide 24/7 nursing care for patients who need medical monitoring, medication management, or hands-on medical support for complex conditions. Nurses in these settings often manage multiple patients with varying levels of acuity, from post-surgical care to chronic condition management.
3. Long-Term Care
This care setting is designed for patients who require ongoing support for chronic illnesses, disabilities, or cognitive impairments. Nurses in long-term care focus on providing consistent care for chronic conditions, supporting daily routines, and monitoring changes in patient health.
4. Hospice Care
Hospice care is designed for patients with terminal illnesses in their final months of life. As a hospice nurse, you’ll provide comfort-focused care, manage pain and symptoms, and offer emotional and spiritual support to both patients and their families.
5. Respite Care
Respite care provides temporary relief for family members or caregivers who are responsible for patients with chronic illnesses or disabilities. As a nurse in respite care, you’ll step in to provide temporary healthcare services, giving caregivers time to rest, recharge, or attend to other responsibilities.
A Nurse’s Guide to Defining Post-Acute Care
For nurses considering a career in PAC, it’s important to understand exactly what this term means in practice. To fully understand its purpose and scope, let’s compare it with other care settings to see where it fits in the healthcare continuum.
Post-Acute Care vs. Subacute Care: What’s the Difference?
Often seen as a step down from or precursor to acute care, subacute care serves patients who are medically complex and need closer monitoring or specialized treatments than standard rehab or long-term care can provide. This may include advanced wound care, IV therapies, or management of complex chronic conditions and may last longer than a typical hospitalization.
Post-acute refers to care provided after a hospital stay, and is focused on recovery and transition to the next level of care. It’s a broader category that can include rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and home-based services, depending on a patient’s needs.
Post-Acute Care vs. Skilled Nursing: What’s the Difference?
Skilled nursing is one part of the post-acute category. SNFs provide RN-level care for patients who need medical treatments and monitoring after hospitalization, such as medication administration, pain management, and nutritional support.
The term post-acute, on the other hand, is the umbrella term that includes skilled nursing along with other settings where patients may be transitioned to after acute care hospitalization like inpatient rehabilitation and long-term care.
Post-Acute Care vs. Long- Term Care: What’s the Difference?
Long-term care is designed for patients who need ongoing assistance over an extended period, often due to chronic illness, disability, or cognitive decline. The focus is on supporting daily living needs — such as bathing, dressing, and mobility — as well as treating patients’ health conditions (often chronic). Post-acute services, in contrast, are temporary and goal-oriented.
What Types of Healthcare Professionals Work in Post-Acute Facilities?
This setting relies on a team-based approach, bringing together a variety of healthcare professionals to meet the complex needs of patients. Nurses are at the center of this care, but they work alongside other skilled providers, including:
- Physicians
- Nurse practitioners
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapists
- Social workers
- Case managers
- Nutritionists
- Pharmacists
- Pain management nurses
- Palliative care nurses
- Psychiatric nurses
- Wound care nurses
- Certified nursing assistants
- Caregivers
What Is a Post-Acute Nurse Salary?
Registered nurses working in post‑acute settings earn an average of around $105,000 per year, though actual salaries can vary depending on experience, education, and location. Some states offer higher RN salaries than others:
Curious about what you would earn in your location? Browse current nursing job openings to find out.
What Is Post-Acute Care Certification?
Certification is optional, but can increase your value to an employer and help sharpen your skills. Several national organizations administer PAC certifications:
| Organizations | Certification Types |
|---|---|
| The Institute of Post-Acute Care (INSPAC) |
|
| American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) |
|
| Association for the Advancement of Post-Acute Care Excellence (AAPACE) |
|
| Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) |
|
Benefits of Post-Acute Settings in Healthcare
This specialized care setting offers a range of benefits that support patients, families, and the broader health system by improving recovery trajectories and enhancing quality of care after hospitalization.
- Lower mortality and readmission rates: Research shows that patients cared for in specialized post‑acute settings experience lower mortality rates and fewer hospital readmissions.
- Improved recovery: This setting helps patients regain mobility and independence after serious illness or surgery, reducing the risk of long‑term disability in older adults.
- Lower the cost of treatment: By preventing unnecessary readmissions and supporting recovery outside expensive hospital settings, these services help make healthcare resources more cost-effective.
Why Nurses May Want to Work in These Settings
Post-acute settings offer nurses a unique combination of professional challenges and rewards. Unlike the fast-paced environment of acute care, nurses here can spend more time building relationships with patients, closely monitoring their progress, and seeing the tangible results of their care.
Other reasons nurses are drawn to these settings include:
- Variety in daily work: Post-acute settings serve patients with a wide range of medical and functional needs, allowing nurses to use a broad set of clinical skills.
- Work-life balance: Many post-acute facilities have more predictable schedules compared with hospitals, which can reduce burnout.
- Professional growth: Nurses can specialize in areas like neurorestorative care, post-surgical rehabilitation, or wound care, and gain certifications that boost their careers.
- Team-based care: Nurses work closely with therapists, social workers, and physicians, creating a collaborative environment that enhances learning and patient outcomes.
- Impactful care: Helping patients regain as much independence as possible allows nurses to see the tangible impact of their care.
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