[zebnkee]

Hi all, this is actually my first official post on allnurses. I have been reading here for days!! I have been working in a group home for the past 10 1/2 years for people with dev. disabilities in different positions within the residential program of one local agency. This experience was a big part of the reason why I decided to become a nurse. It was the next logical step for me with the amount of experience I have with the population. I was lucky enough to earn a scholarship through my job and am guaranteed a job with a two year obligation after I graduate.

The DD population is a challenging yet fullfilling aspect of nursing. I hope it's a field that more nurses will look at and consider when looking for a specialty area to go into. It's a very rewarding field to be in with people that can be truly appreciative and fun to be around.

Just my 2 cents!
zeb

[Shamrock]

Welcome aboard zebnkee.

[MomNRN]

Welcome!

I work in a similar field. I am a nurse at a school for special needs children. Most of my students grow up to move into your group homes.

I love the kids I work with! It is truly a joy.

Enjoy the boards!

[Rav_810]

Good luck with everything.

[brenoman]

Hi,
Glad you enjoy working with people with developmental disabilities, I love it too BUT as a parent of a child with profound disabilities I have taken great dislike to the term "DD". No offence to you, it is becoming a widely accepted abbreviation. However, I find it is labelling all those individuals who are people not DDs. My little boy tries so hard just to stay alive that I feel he does not need such a belittleing, degrading term. The people I work with in the group home are all ladies with developmental disabilities. I think we owe them and everyone else born less fortunate, the courtesy to be addressed as people first. I have come across the term being used without contempt or intention but a little thought and courtesy will be much appreciated. BAN THE ABBREVIATION 'DD' FOR CLASSIFYING PEOPLE AND LEAVE IT TO LABELLING DANGEROUS DRUGS!
Thanks, Wendy

[debralynn]

I am very thankful for people like you who work with special people. As for me, even though I feel like I have lots of experience, I won't work in that area. You see, I have to live it. My son is mentally retarded. I have him on a LONG waiting list for a residential group home, he is 20. But I know what you mean about being rewarding. He is the most sweetest natured child. Or should I say young man. This is not to say that he can't get real pissy at times, but for the most part he is a very loving young person! Good luck, and God Bless everyone who works in this area!

[brenoman]

Thanks for your reply, Debralyn,
It is funny here in Australia but a great number of people who work in the field of disabilites know or have someone with a disability. While I am on the issue of unacceptable terminology, in Australia we don't use 'mentally retarded', I know it is used in America, here we say intellectual disability.....just more political correctness.
Are there many group homes available to you? Who oversees them? Wendy

[debralynn]

where I live, a town of around 51,000, there are two residential group homes. They only take 10 clients each. So you can see how long the waiting list are.
It took me a long time to be able to say that my son is metally retarded. I believe it is society that has made this an ugly word. But if you break down the word, metally his growth has been retarded or stopped. Then it isn't so bad. I never say this word in front of my son though.
The two group homes here: one is privately owned by some doctors and lawyers. The other is owned by a large corporation. They usually have an RN on at night, and an LPN on during the day. Then they will have house monitors during the day. The clients can not stay in the homes during the day, so each home has its own workshop that the clients go and work and make small amounts of money. Of course all of these clients receive SSI, which is like Medicaid, a check monthly and this is what the facilities help keep the place running on besides other funds they receive. I had to file for guardianship of my own son, so I will still have the last say so over anything that is done to him. When you put them in a group home, you have to sign your child over to them, but by me having guardianship, if something medical ever comes up, I will be in charge.