Developmentally disabled nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Have you worked with a developmentally disabled patient while working?

    • 19
      yes
    • 1
      no
    • 0
      unsure of what DD means

20 members have participated

I am an RN who works with developmentally disabled children and adults in a respite care facility. I have found almost zilch out there on the net about working with DD individuals though I have quickly discovered that it is a specialty within itself. How about y'all? In your particular field have you ever been called to work with a DD person? How did you react? What did you do to help that person body and soul? I'm interested in finding out if there would be a call for a DD internet site for nurses. What about it?

At the facility that I am at, the children's program is pretty intense. It is a multidisciplinary, holistic approach. The team decides on the treatment for each child. Ages range from 5 to 21 years old in the pediatric residential program. In the outpatient setting children receive services as young as 3 years old. Many of the children have rare syndromes and there is very limited literature on them. Do your social workers coordinate all aspects of care? Many of our kids have severe disabilities. Our services include: 24 hour nursing, PT, OT, Hippotherapy, Speech, Music therapy, a school program and medical services. We encourage the families to participate in the development of the plan of care.

Specializes in learning disabilities/midwifery.

Regarding our childrens services in the UK social services do ususlly co-ordinate all aspects of care. Mostly this takes the form of support for the families whilst the child is at home and (hopefully) attending school. Very few kids are in any kind of residential care so arent usually offered therapies ect unless it is via their school. Most social workers will admit that they are lacking in the knowledge/skills to successfully support this client group and are simply keeping them 'ticking over' until adult services can kick in.

In England they have dedicated child and adolescent community LD nurses but so far in Scotland we do not (that I am aware of) so they first time these kids access specialist services is often under a crisis situation where they have to be removed from the home due to an escalation in behaviour difficulties, health problems or difficulties due to aging parents.

Services here are needing to improve for people with learning difficulties thoughout all areas but we're trying to make it better!

Lisa

Could anyone tell me if a learning disability nurse in the uk can work as a DD nurse in the US?

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