Learning Disability Placements: A Pocket Guide

A handy pocket guide to help learning disability student nurses prepare for their practice placements.

Learning disability nursing placements can be daunting – you'll be working in a range of settings and supporting vulnerable individuals with a variety of learning disabilities. There are new colleagues to work with, and newly learned nursing theory to put into practice. This pocket guide is designed to make your placements much more enjoyable and less stressful.
From augmentative and alternative communication to safeguarding, via positive behaviour support, it's full of practical detail, hints and tips.

• Written by a team of students, lecturers and practising learning disability nurses – this guidance is really produced with you in mind.
• Pocket-sized format – carry it with you at all times.
• Space to make your own notes – be it uniform policy, new terminology, or just the names of your new colleagues!

Reduce your stress and make the most of your placements by having this book to hand from the start.

Contents

Before we start
1. Top tips from current LD student nurses

Getting there
2. Preparing for placement
3. Absence from placement
4. The NMC Code
5. Person-centred care
6. Capacity, consent and safeguarding
6.1 Mental capacity
6.2 Consent
6.3 Safeguarding
7. Guidance on social media

Settling there
8. Induction and first day
9. Working with those supervising your practice
10. Common documentation
11. Communicating with people with LD

Being there
12. Personal safety
12.1 Hand hygiene
12.2 Moving and handling
12.3 Challenging behaviour
13. Fundamental skills
13.1 Assessment
13.2 Care planning
13.3 Constipation management
13.4 Managing challenging behaviour
13.5 Medication management
13.6 Mental health
13.7 Observations
13.8 Palliative care
13.9 People with autism
13.10 Reasonable adjustments
13.11 Risk assessments
13.12 Working with children
14. Basic Life Support
15. Common emergencies
15.1 Epilepsy
15.2 Sepsis
15.3 Choking
15.4 Sending a person with LD to A&E
16. Pain and pain assessment
17. Common groups of medications

Moving on from there
18. Reflection
19. Quick references
20. FAQs
21. Useful websites for LD nurses