Nursing in other areas of health and social care

Learning disability nurses have a unique value base, as well as sophisticated and nuanced, knowledge and skills. For learning disability nurses the delivery of highly personalised, holistic, specialist nursing care, is based on an outstanding communication skills, relationship building and their interpersonal qualities; combined with a drive to support people to achieve the things that are important to them.

It is hardly surprising then, that learning disability nurses are much sought after, in many other areas of health and social care, where their skills readily transfer and bring added transformational value to many traditional settings. Examples include learning disability nurses working in dementia services, homelessness services, public health teams, safeguarding and domiciliary care services.

Outside of learning disability nursing roles and settings, it is very clearly the unique knowledge, skills and values of learning disability nurses shines and sees them as an extremely valuable resource.

 
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Paula Hopes
Paula Hopes

“I always wanted to be a nurse but didn’t know what learning disability nursing was. It was a spur of the moment decision ticking the box on the application form because I had a few tentative links with people with learning disabilities and a family member with a recent diagnosis of Autism. I finished my A-levels and started in January 2000 where I made the first steps towards registration and made friends for life. I love being a learning disability nurse, I’ve had various roles, many opportunities and learned lots of lessons along the way.”