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Clinical Domain
Grainne Healy Behaviour Nurse Specialist BHSCT Click on the name to view the video
Most Registered Nurses Learning Disabilities (RNLDs) choose to work in a role which enables them to regularly deliver direct patient care providing safe, effective, person centred care on a day to day basis. Through experience, continuous professional development (CPD), mentoring and supervision, RNLDs can develop very specialist and autonomous clinical roles, including Behaviour Nurse, Behaviour Nurse Therapist, Epilepsy Specialist Nurse, Senior Nurse Practitioner, Mental Health Practitioner, Healthcare Facilitator and Community Forensic Practitioner.
Click on the links below to read more about role opportunities in Clinical Practice in the Community and Hospital settings.
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Education Domain
Owen Barr Prof. Professor of Nursing & Intellectual Disabilities, Ulster University Click on the name to view the Video
Continuous professional development and access to educational opportunities is essential to support the on-going competence and growth of the Learning Disabilities Nursing workforce – this in turn contributes to the provision of safe, effective, person-centred care. All Learning Disabilities Nurses practicing across the range of settings contribute to and facilitate the professional development of students at both pre and post-registration levels aligned to the NMC requirements for learning and assessment in practice. Some Learning Disabilities Nurses undertake specific educational roles in practice such as Nurse Development Leads – responsible for the identification and delivery of CPD specifically for the RNLD nursing workforce in their area/organisation.
Others, as with all fields of nursing practice, may decide to choose education as their career pathway. A number of post and positions are available – from Senior Lecturers, Nurse Lectures and Teaching Assistants based in the Higher Education Institutions -responsible for teaching and delivering the BSc Learning Disability pre-registration NMC Nursing programme alongside a number of post–registration education programmes – to Nurse Education Consultants based in in-service education. All of these posts ensure access to the most up to date evidence based educational programmes aimed at supporting the registrant RNLD workforce to deliver the highest quality care.
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Management & Leadership Domain
Siobhan Rogan Advanced Practitioner & Manager SHSCT Click on the name to view the Video
Managers or Leadership Roles are wide and varied in Learning Disabilities Nursing, and include positions such Ward Sister /Team Leader, Head of Service/ Service Manager, Professional Lead RNLD, Clinical Nurse Manager, Home Manager, Learning Disability Inspector, Intellectual Disability Advanced Practitioner and Manager and Ward Sister to name but a few.
One of the key responsibilities of the RNLD in Management and Leadership positions is to ensure there is strong professional leadership for the profession and that the appropriate resources i.e staff with the relevant skills and competencies to provide patient centred, safe, effective care are available to meet the needs of patients and clients. Other responsibilities include resource management, budget management, leading the development of policies and procedures, ensuring teams are updated and informed and supporting staff to avail of educational opportunities to enhance skills and keep up to date. Click on the links below to read more about RNLDs in management and leadership posts.
Click here to view Leading Care Resources developed to strengthen and support the role of the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse.
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Research & Development Domain
Michael Brown Prof. of Nursing Queens University Belfast Click on the name to view the Video
Research and evidence based practice is vital to the delivery of safe, effective, person centred care. All nursing practice must be based on a reliable evidence base coupled with sound clinical judgement alongside considering the needs and preferences of individual patients/clients.
Registered Nurses Learning Disabilities (RNLDs) can make a huge difference to the quality of patient care by integrating research and development activity into their professional role.
Within Learning Disabilities Nursing, there are opportunities to be involved in research at many different levels including audit of practice, quality improvement and undertaking research during pre and postgraduate study which all seek to enhance patient care.
Nursing research expands the evidence base and improves clinical practice, and can be a rewarding experience for both nurses and participating patients. Translating evidence from research into practice can make a real difference to people with Learning Disabilities, their families and communities. Currently we are very fortunate that there is a Research post in Northern Ireland specifically for the advancement of Learning Disabilities nursing.
View the real life stories of RNLDs who hold research roles and responsibilities.