Learning disability nurse
Learning disability nurses work to provide specialist healthcare and support to people with a learning disability, as well as their families and staff teams, to help them live a fulfilling life.
Why choose learning disability nursing
There are many reasons why you should consider a career as a learning disability nurse. It offers you the chance to make a difference, a high degree of flexibility and a career with excellent employment prospects.
Working life
Children identified as having a learning disability are living longer, more fulfilled lives into adolescence, adulthood and older age. Learning disability nurses play a vital role working across the whole life span in both health and care settings.
The main areas of your role as a learning disability nurse involve:
- improving or maintaining a person’s physical and mental health
- reducing barriers to them living an independent life
- supporting the person in living a fulfilling life
Learning disability nurses may also help people to learn the skills needed to find work. This can be significant in helping them to lead a more independent and healthy life where they can relate to others on equal terms.
Where will you work?
You will be supporting people of all ages with learning disabilities in a range of settings, including:
- people's homes
- education
- workplaces
-
residential and community centres
- hospitals
- mental health settings
- prisons
You may work shifts to provide 24-hour care.You’ll work as part of a team including GPs, psychologists, social workers, teachers, general practitioners, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and healthcare assistants.
'Learning disability nursing is quite different to other fields of nursing. It’s about enabling each person to reach their full potential'. Sarah Trute, community behaviour specialist
How to become a learning disability nurse
To become a learning disability nurse nurse you’ll need to train and study at degree level - either through a full-time course or a nursing degree apprenticeship. Entry requirements vary depending on where and how you’d like to study. You can find full-time learning disability nursing course to suit you using our Course Finder tool.
Want to find out more?
- Find out about the entry requirements for learning disability nursing
- Find out about the skills and personal characteristics of a learning disability nurse
- Find out about the training and development opportunites in learning disability nursing
- Find out about studying to be a nurse
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