A Developmental Disabilities Nursing career is an area of this medical professional that offers tremendous reward. In this case, the nurse would work directly with patients of varying ages and lifestyles who struggle with some form of disability, whether physical or mental. These disabilities could be the result of many things such as injury, birth defect, genetic disease, serious illness, and others. Nurses who practice in this area find the patients to be amazing individuals who are grateful for the assistance provided.
Developmental Disabilities Nursing Career, Role of a Developmental Disabilities Nurse
The list of duties associated with working as a Developmental Disabilities Nurse is quite diverse and lengthy. For instance, this nurse would assist the patient with daily hygiene needs, feeding, helping the patient get ready for physical therapy or a doctor’s appointment, serve as communicator between patient, family, and friends, take and record vital signs, monitor the patient’s progress, and much more. Because a Developmental Disabilities Nurse could work with a patient who has a single disability or someone with multiple disabilities, the exact roles would vary somewhat on a patient-by-patient basis.
In addition, the exact medical care provided by a Developmental Disabilities Nurse would depend on the type of disability involved. For example, someone with a physical disability may need more rehabilitative type services whereas someone with a mental disability would require cognitive rehabilitation. In some cases, a nurse of this type works with a specific age range, perhaps working with the elderly or children. Another aspect of this job involves being watchful for problems associated with medication, digression from treatment, signs of infection, or other complications that could prove detrimental and even dangerous.
Developmental Disabilities Nurse Educational Requirements
The educational needs for a Developmental disabilities Nurse is at minimum to be a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), which comes from earning a two-year Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree, as well as passing state exams. However, most nurses will complete a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, which helps open more opportunities. In either case, classroom time and coursework would focus primarily on long-term patient care through pain management, promoting mobility, and other means of improving the patient’s overall quality of life.
Developmental Disabilities Nurse Salaries
Typically, a Developmental Disabilities Nurse earns between $35,000 and $45,000 as an LPN and depending on the college education, number of years of experience as a licensed nurse, geographic location, and the facility. However, if working as this type of nurse as a Registered Nurse, the average annual salary increases to about $55,000. Then, to earn even more, a person could earn an advanced college degree or choose to work in a specialized area of disabilities such as Autism, which continues to be of growing concern.
Developmental Disabilities Nurse Opportunities
There will always been need for qualified nurses who can work with people living with disabilities. Unfortunately, physical and mental disability problems will exist throughout time so a good Developmental Disabilities Nurse who can help a patient achieve a better life is worth a lot. Of course, the best individual for a nursing career such as this would be someone with compassion, patience, flexibility, and a person who can offer professional medical care along with long-term friendship. After all, in this role, the nurse would build a close connection with the patient, as well as family members and possibly friends so having the right personality and desire to help is a key factor to being a successful Developmental Disabilities Nurse.
