Nursing Needs for IDD-Related Syndromes: Part 2

Course overview

People with IDD face significant challenges in receiving quality healthcare. They are more likely to have complex medical needs and experience worse outcomes compared to the general population. Knowledge of syndromes can help you recognize the type of care and supports a person might need. The impacts of a specific syndrome often change over a persons lifetime, so it is important that you recognize the needs at each stage of life. Recognizing patterns of need can improve coordination of care. You may need to coordinate care between multiple physicians and healthcare specialists. Healthcare professionals who do not specialize in working with individuals with disabilities may not be well-informed about syndrome-specific needs and risks. Nurses who support people with IDD must guide the individuals treatment team in recognizing the persons likely medical needs and pursuing the resources and tools to meet those needs. This course provides an overview of six specific syndromes that cause intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). You will also learn about the type and severity of disability they typically cause, as well as syndrome-specific nursing considerations. This course will not provide a full description of each syndromes behavioral characteristics and daily support needs. Instead, you will learn about the aspects of the syndrome that are most relevant to nurses, including where your role may intersect with other professionals roles. For more information about syndromes not covered in this course, including the significance of understanding IDD-related syndromes, please refer to the Relias course catalog. The goal of this course is to teach nursing professionals in IDD settings about the significance and health implications of IDD-related syndromes and the support needs associated with these syndromes.