[akcarmean]

Originally Posted by LPN_mn

Thanks for this forum. I am a learning disability nurse working with 30 clients. I am so happy to find this forum to get advice from other nurses in my field. I am an LPN and have only been doing this type of nursing for a few months but I am loving it. It is challenging but very rewarding. Althoug some of our clients can be very difficult they are also very loving individuals. Thanks again for the forum.

How did you become certified in the Learning Diablitity area ? Thanks, Angelia

[akcarmean]

Originally Posted by dbeach

I am a Certified Developmental Disabilities Nurse, RN, looking for CEU's in Devleopmental Disabilities topics. Anyone have any resources?

How did you become certified in the Developmental Disabilities area ? Thanks Angelia

[Julian Dodd]

Originally Posted by barrettak9

Hi night owl

just wanted to respond to your question.

There is probably a difference of opinion between the UK and USA here. As I understand Learning disability nurses do not exist in the USA. In the UK we use this term to refer to people who the USA refer to as mental retardation (if this term is still used)

As a learning disability nurse I'm currently working with offenders who have a learning disability and a mental health problem as well. I guess my speciality would be challenging behaviour in that the behaviour a client displays challenges the staff around them (this usually is along the lines of aggression and violence but can also include verbal abuse; PICA; their offence etc.)

Learning disability is usually diagnosed based on the IQ but also physical and mental development. This also includes lots of syndromes such as downs syndrome; autism asphergers syndrome; cerebral palsy - the list is endless.

Most LD nurses work in community homes enabling the individual to live a 'normal' life. however, others like myself work in specialist environments which are usually based on hospital sites but attempt to get away from institutlisation. Prior to 1990 many still lived in asylums and way back anyone that was 'abnormal' was put away. This also included children born to unmarried mothers or child born with two big toes or only one thumb! The royalty still have siblings being cared for by a hospital in a community setting now but used to be in an asylum (in fact the one where I trained).

I hope this gives you a taster of what we do - also check out www.rnld.co.uk where you'll find lots of examples of our work.

Anna

i have heard ld described as developmental delay. i work with ld clients we are currently implementing integrated care pathway for the terminal phase of illnesses experienced by people with ld we are trying to find a distress assessment tool for people with ld could you help

[Alley Cat]

Originally Posted by Julian Dodd

i have heard ld described as developmental delay. i work with ld clients we are currently implementing integrated care pathway for the terminal phase of illnesses experienced by people with ld we are trying to find a distress assessment tool for people with ld could you help

By "distress assessment" do you mean pain? If so, we use the FLACC scale in assessing pain in our nonverbal patients.

[mercyteapot]

A learning disability and a developmental delay really aren't the same thing. A learning disability involves difficulty learning for a particular reason. Many people with LD have normal to very high IQs. A developmental delay is much more global in nature. That term is also misused a lot, as it implies that children will catch up at some point. Some of them will, but if a developmental delay is still present by around age 8, it is in fact a developmental disorder, and in more severe instances, a developmental disability.

[mm4785]

I have a question. I am a DD nurse in New York. Do any other DD nurses have a problem with the use of AMAP's in group homes? It disturbs me that we still allow unlicensed personnel (and I know many of them are very conscientious) to do meds and treatments. Does anyone have any thoughts about this practice?

[sjmac]

Hi
Is there any jobs for LD nurses in the US? We are in England, thinking about relocating to the US but can't find any jobs so far!
Thanks,
Sjmac

[mm4785]

Originally Posted by sjmac

Hi
Is there any jobs for LD nurses in the US? We are in England, thinking about relocating to the US but can't find any jobs so far!
Thanks,
Sjmac

You have to look for advertisements under MR/DD in America. There are always postings in the New York area - and there are many organizations that you could apply to directly. If you go to the website of the New York State Office of MR/DD - do a google search - you can get the names of the different organizations, all non-profit I think, that you could contact about nursing positions. Hope this helps a little,
mm4785

[sjmac]

Thanks very much for your reply. Will certainly do what you suggest and see what's available.
Cheers, sjmac

[rdnkmom]

I work in a LTC facility for disabled children. They were either born brain damaged, abused, accidentally brain damaged or what ever the case may be. Either way they are all TOTALLY developmentally disabled. Most of them have trachs and gtubes and are on vents. We have a hard time keeping nurses. Some just cant handle it, but that's okay too. I swore when I was in school that I would never ever work LTC again or work in pedi....LOL...jokes on me....I got both with one job...my first job at that..and I just love it. Them kids need love and attention too. They are more there (understanding whats going on) than most people think they are.