Community Nurse Learning Disabilities

Job/Role Summary

• Management for a caseload of approximately 45 clients with learning disabilities, both adults and children
• Health promotion activities
• Monitoring of medication treatments
• Advice on and implementation of behaviour strategies
• Co-ordinating care
• Education of others in relation to Learning Disability

Specific qualifications and experience required

• Registered nurse in Learning Disability
• Specialist qualification in community nursing
• 2 years post-registration experience as a staff nurse in Learning Disability

Career Milestones

Following my initial training in Mental Health nursing I took up a post as a staff nurse in a Learning Disability hospital. After a number of years experience in the specialty I had the opportunity to complete a post-registration qualification in Learning Disability. Soon after this I completed a Diploma in Community Nursing in the area of Learning Disability. Following this period of formal education I felt that the area of counselling was one which had not been covered in sufficient depth during the courses I had undertaken in the past so I completed a certificate in counselling to assist me in my role. I was involved in setting up and running a respite care facility over a three-year period during which time I was able to complete a degree programme in Professional Development in Nursing.

What attracted you to this job?

• Frustration of working with limited resources such as bank staff in a previous post
• Lack of support from my manager in a previous post
• A desire to have autonomy and be accountable for my OWN work

Enjoyable aspects of the job/role

• Complete autonomy for my caseload
• The opportunity to implement health promotion strategies with adults and children with learning disabilities
• The variety of a holistic approach to care with families and clients working with various treatments and interventions

Important success factors

• Having the support of a good line manager has increased my job satisfaction greatly and being part of a small tight-knit team
• Facilitation of continuing professional development by my line manager
• Continual up dating of skills and knowledge

Advice for those considering the type of job/role?

If you are thinking of applying for a post within the community caring for adults and children with learning disabilities then you need to be able to work on your own initiative. You need to have good mediation skills and good organisational skills. Be sure that you would feel confident as a lone worker this way of working is not for everyone.

Key skills that can be gained within this job/role?

• Self reliance
• I depend on my own judgement in most situations
• Skills in working well as a part of a multi-disciplinary team and valuing the contribution made by other disciplines
• Skills in conflict resolution
• Skills in counselling

Career Profiles