The arduous road to recovery.
The transition from acute rehabilitation to life in the community represents a new experience for the person with a spinal cord injury (SCI). After returning home, the person is required to manage a range of new challenges created by the injury and its consequences. There is a paucity of information regarding the practical aspects of persons with SCI attaining educational goals and full-time employment. Considerations such as emotional/social adjustment, support systems, physical and attitudinal barriers, work disincentives, and health care needs must be addressed. This article illustrates how one person with quadriplegia overcame obstacles and barriers in his quest to obtain a college education and gainful employment. The experiences of a young man with quadriplegia, as well as a nursing perspective, are presented. Key aspects are identified and related to nursing practice. Stages of adult development, education, and practical considerations are also examined.
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D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012574:Schools