A developmental disabilities nurse is a professional, caring person. He/she began their field with little health education regarding people diagnosed with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD). They have struggled to learn anything they can about this specialty.

Besides maintaining their nursing license, developmental disabilities nurses network with other nurses in the I/DD field. They support, share and learn from one another. They have struggled with the acronyms and regulations of the I/DD world. Every day they are educating about and advocating for the people they support to the medical world. They are a part of a team process which is very different from the team process in the hospital. They no longer work with just the person and families regarding health issues, but also work with teams who make decisions. They advocate strongly for the person they help support; helping staff, individuals and families understand the importance of following treatments and/or recommendations from physicians.

Developmental disabilities nurses are constantly educating – from preventative health to end of life decisions. The nurses in this field have built relationships with staff and families, but most of all the individuals they support. They don’t see John Doe as John in group home “X” with diabetes. They see him as John who has a life and how can they best support him to lead the life he wants. They educate him and his team about his condition and how to live his life with this condition.

Being a developmental disabilities nurse is so much more than the word nurse can convey.

Author: Linda Ulinski, RN, CDDN - Assistant Director of Nursing at PCHC