Nurses specializing in learning disability work with families of people with learning impairments to nurture the patients physically, socially and psychologically. Schools, community centers and nursing homes often have learning disability nurses, but these professionals can also be hired to provide round-the-clock home care.
Learning Disability Nursing – Basic Requirements
Nurses providing care to people with learning disabilities are expected to have exceptional communication skills, considering that their patients use more non-verbal than verbal means of expression. Learning disability nursing requires good intuition, flexibility and most importantly, patience. Nurses in this specialization should be able to overcome stressful situations and abrupt changes in behavior. At the same time, they must be professional enough to deal with psychologists, social workers, and occupational therapists to foster the progress of their patients. Academic requirements for learning disability nursing jobs in the United States include a diploma in nursing and the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. Some schools may certify those with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing specializing in Learning Disabilities.
Learning Disability Jobs – Various Opportunities
Salaries of nurses with learning disability jobs range from $23,000 to $420,000 a year, depending on the country, type of institution, position and years of experience. These nurses may find jobs in private adult care facilities, civic centers, special schools and private home care. Part of their job description is to analyze and interpret their patients’ behavior, improve their communication abilities, coordinate with social workers and other health care providers, and supervise admission and discharge. Learning disability jobs also involve planning activities and events to bolster patients’ social skills and assisting them in academic matters including tests and evaluations. They may have to step into the role of support staff or manager in urgent circumstances.
Learning Disability Services – Background
Learning disability nurses help patients prepare for independence by providing education and training, teaching them about domestic responsibilities, and conditioning them for employment. Specialized nurses at special and mainstream schools help students with disabilities keep up with academic tasks. People with disabilities may also be given one-to-one assistance at home in terms of budgeting, cooking, shopping for food, bathing or taking medication. Other day services are transportation assistance, short-stay support and specialist relationship services. Nurses may guide developmentally challenged people to find a job that suits their skills. They may even aid in honing those skills to introduce patients to other competencies.