How Community Nurses Can Provide Support To People With Learning Disabilities
A learning disability is a life-long disability that can affect people’s functional capacity to a great extent. People having learning disabilities can belong to any age group and rely on doctors and nurses for support even outside the hospital environment.
Community nurses play an imperative role in improving the quality of life and social inclusion of people with learning disabilities. They provide several services. These include:
1. Improving and maintaining the participants’ mental and physical health
Since people with learning disabilities face challenges in daily life functionality, their physical and mental health can also be affected. Community nurses play an essential role in this regard. They ensure that the participant is mentally and physically fit to self-manage themselves. They use their strong observation skills to record all the difficulties that participants face and cater to them step by step.
They also facilitate community involvement by teaching participants creative ways to communicate, so they feel a sense of purpose and do not indulge themselves in isolation. Hence, they play an important role in preventing the co-existence of learning disabilities with other mental health conditions.
2. Encouraging them to live an independent life
The primary purpose behind the support provided by community nurses is not to make participants used to their support but to help them become independent. To do so, community nurses help participants gradually overcome significant barriers they face in their life. They assist and teach participants how to carry out practical living skills.
3. Assisting them in living a fulfilling life
Community nurses also encourage participants and their families to have fun and live fulfilling lives by enjoying a break once in a while. They encourage social participation so the participant can practice communication and experience a lively environment.
4. Helping participants learn new skills so they can find work
Since people with learning disabilities find it challenging to use spoken or written language and understand tasks immediately, community nurses help them develop skills they can use to build their careers. This keeps participants engaged and makes them feel more confident about their capabilities.
5. Conducting in-home assessments
Community nurses carry out in-home assessments to determine the supports and services participants will require on a day-to-day basis or periodically.
6. Case management: Developing treatment plans
Once the supports required by the participant have been determined through in-home assessments, community nurses devise a treatment plan for them. Depending on the participant’s condition, this treatment plan can include medication, therapy sessions, or counseling.
7. Setting up and administering medication
Community nurses also take responsibility for implementing the treatment plans made by them. They ensure all medicines are given to the participant on time and in appropriate quantities.
8. Observation and monitoring of vital signs
Community nurses monitor participants’ vital signs too. People with learning disabilities often develop other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, aggression, or sleep disturbances. Hence, keeping a record of their vital signs is essential.
9. Monitoring response to medications and treatments
Keeping a record of the participant’s response to medications and treatments is also necessary because if the medication does not work for them, community nurses change their treatment plan by discontinuing the current medication and including other medicines.
10. Health Promotion
The services provided by community nursing in Brisbane aim to promote the importance of health and safety. Community nurses ensure that participants’ learning disability does not restrict their right to receive sufficient treatment. They educate participants about their physical and health needs and assist them in accessing the appropriate health care services. Hence, ensuring that optimum health is achieved.
Looking for further help with community nursing in Brisbane?
In case of additional questions and queries regarding community nursing in Brisbane, please feel free to contact Complete Connect through phone or email. They are one of the most efficient registered NDIS providers. If you want to avail yourself of the services community nurses provide, rest assured that Compete Connect has an excellent team of knowledgeable and trusted individuals who can cater to all your needs.