Emergency department nurses' knowledge, skills, and comfort related to caring for patients with intellectual disabilities.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are more likely to visit the emergency department (ED) more frequently than their counterparts without ID. Nurses play an integral role in caring for all patients in the ED, including those with ID, although training to work with this population is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the self-perceived knowledge, skills, and comfort of ED nurses when caring for a patient with ID. METHODS: Questionnaires were returned from 151 nurses from a total of six EDs within Ontario, Canada. The questionnaire contained fourteen items related to knowledge, comfort, practice and skills, readiness for change, prior exposure to patients with ID, and awareness of strategies to identify patients in this population. RESULTS: Although the majority of nurses reported an interaction with a patient with a suspected ID in the past year, only 28% of respondents reported awareness of strategies to help identify if a patient may have an ID, and only half reported feeling skilled in adapting their communication and approach. DISCUSSION: ED nurses are the first point of contact in caring for patients with ID, thus it is crucial that they understand how to provide accessible and inclusive care for this population.

What is and isn't working: Factors involved in sustaining community-based health and participation initiatives for people ageing with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

As people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) age, it is important that I/DD agencies are prepared to support healthy ageing in homes and in communities. This study explored supports and barriers to sustaining community-based health and participation initiatives (CBHPI) for people ageing with I/DD living in group homes managed by agencies. The study utilized interviews and photovoice with 70 participants-35 individuals with I/DD and 35 management/direct support agency staff. Data were analysed through content analysis and triangulation of data where five themes emerged: Agency values and policies related to healthy ageing; resources and staff competencies; communication between management and staff; community/university partnerships; and peer relations. Findings show that I/DD agencies and people with I/DD value CBHPI, but they find them difficult to sustain due to limited resources and lack of training specific to ageing with I/DD. Conducting system-level research within I/DD agencies to include first-person accounts of people with I/DD, staff and management provides insight on how to effectively support the needs of people with I/DD to improve their health and community participation as they age.