Essay On Intellectual Competence In Nursing

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It is necessary to explain what clinical skills are and why they are essential in ID (Intellectual Disability) nursing. For the purpose of this assignment the focus will be on a traditional skill of care planning and a non-traditional skill, accessible communication. These skills combined, give a more in depth understanding on the role of the RNID (Registered Nurse Intellectual Disability) in the overall care of a person with ID. Maintaining competence is an integral part of the role of the RNID. Competence in this context can be described as a holistic integrated approach when caring for an individual with ID (Gonczi 1994). RNIDs use a nursing process such as the bio psychosocial approach when looking at the overall needs of a person. Realising that all aspects of a person such as the biological, psychological and sociological are interlinked ensures that all needs of an individual with an ID are met. Clinical competence is a necessary component of nursing and the NMBI formerly known as An Bord Altranais (2005) is the governing body in Ireland. According to Gleeson (2008) the development of skilled clinical practice is at the centre of nurse education. Two recent reports are influential as regards the role of the RNID in the overall care of a person with ID and they are the IDS-TILDA (Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing) ( McCarron et al. 2011) and Strengthening the Commitment –The Report of the UK Modernizing Learning Disabilities Nursing Review 2012. Reference will be made to these reports as the assignment progresses.

A relatively new phenomenon has come to the fore in ID nursing and that is the noticeable change in life expectancy for people with a disability. The number of people wit...

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...skills that is acknowledged but often underestimated.

The role of the RNID is to provide holistic person centred care. This is evident through literature researched and discussed in this assignment. Maintaining competence in clinical skills such as care planning and accessible communication are but a sample of the clinical skills used by an RNID in relation to the overall care of a person with an ID. These skills are used across a person’s lifespan, through every transition in their lives. RNIDs use a bio psychosocial approach and this is necessary to obtain a comprehensive profile of the person with an ID. This allows them to provide best practice that is evidenced based. RNIDs are governed by the Irish clinical body, An Bord Altranais which informs them of the importance of maintaining competence in clinical skills in relation to the overall care of a person.

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