Advancing Rehabilitative Care Through Global Practice Standards and Credentialing – Live from ICN

Broadcasting from the 2025 International Council of Nurses Congress in Helsinki, host Lea Sims welcomes two inspiring Jamaican nurses—Andrea Christie, MSc, BSN, ENLAC, RM, RN, JP, and Karlene Miller, RN—to discuss the vital but often overlooked specialty of rehabilitative nursing. With decades of combined experience in rehabilitation and midwifery, both guests offer an impassioned perspective on how global standards and credentialing can elevate the visibility, value, and impact of this essential discipline.

Andrea and Karlene share deeply personal stories of their paths into nursing—Andrea, who “accidentally” entered the field before falling in love with it, and Karlene, whose passion was ignited by a caregiver’s spirit instilled from childhood. Though neither originally intended to specialize in rehabilitative care, both found themselves placed in Jamaica’s only national rehabilitation facility. What began with reluctance quickly turned into calling, as they discovered the profound reward of helping patients regain function, purpose, and dignity.

The episode dives into the realities of rehabilitation in Jamaica, where Andrea and Karlene’s facility serves not just the nation but much of the English-speaking Caribbean. Despite this regional role, the specialty remains undervalued, under-resourced, and often misunderstood—frequently associated only with polio or paralysis. Andrea and Karlene are determined to change that perception through outreach, education, and advocacy, including school visits, professional training, and collaboration with the Nursing Council of Jamaica and international partners like TruMerit.

Lea also explores how global credentials—such as TruMerit’s Certified Global Nurse Rehabilitation credential—can catalyze change. Andrea and Karlene emphasize the power of certification to raise care standards, expand visibility, improve compensation, and bring legitimacy to a subspecialty that plays a crucial role in addressing chronic disease, aging populations, and long-term recovery. They stress that rehabilitation is not limited to spinal or trauma cases—it is a whole-body, whole-person approach to care, and it must begin as early as the acute care phase.

Whether you’re a nurse, policymaker, educator, or global health advocate, this episode offers a heartfelt and eye-opening look at the transformative power of rehabilitative care—and the people working tirelessly to bring it the recognition it deserves.

Listen now at trumerit.org/podcast or on your favorite podcast platform.