Nursing Care for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: An Integrated Approach

Nurses play a key role in high-quality health care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and now this up-to-date textbook fully prepares them to provide patients with the best possible services across the lifespan. The most comprehensive text available for nurses who specialize in IDD, this essential book clarifies evidence-based practices and gives readers an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to care that meets each person's individual needs. Cecily Betz and Wendy Nehring authors of the respected text Promoting Health Care Transitions for Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs and Disabilities gather the latest research and wisdom of 18 diverse authorities in the medical field (see box). Together, they give pre- and in-service nurses the foundation of knowledge they need to help ensure equal access to health care for people with IDD choose from today's models and philosophies of care promote their patients' psychosocial development provide effective physical care conduct health assessments and develop individualized plans of care maintain successful interdisciplinary collaboration with other professionals address the issues associated with specific disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, fragile X, sensory impairment, and medical and behavioral health problems support developmental transitions across the lifespan expand their knowledge of genetics and apply it to nursing practice skillfully manage ethical and legal issues understand the service agencies used by individuals with IDD Enhanced with clinical practice guidelines to support effective work with individuals who have IDD, this textbook lights every nurse's path to person-centered, evidence-based care that improves their patients' lives.