Originally Posted by tracey.d

Hi Sam,
Sorry you are having such a nightmare

I think getting your nursing qualifications in another country can be a bit of a nightmare, with LD being the worst. This is very sad as it is a very specialist area and the need for more LD nurses cannot be highlighted enough.

However, I am a paediatric nurse who, upon qualifying went into paed, LD/ complex needs. I really loved the job but found that the LD trained nurses although very good at the emotional/ social aspect of the job were not up to date with the medical needs of the kids. They were very devoted and had to learn as the childrens needs progressed.

With technology forever advancing the needs of some children are increasing rapidly. I personally think that there is a gap in the training of LD nurses. Sorry to any that read this . It is not the fault of the nurses but the universities. I think they lack the medical training required to work in this arena. I am not just saying this from my own viewpoint but from those who qualified at the same time and after me!!

At the university that I trained at the course is now combined with social work. This is a very good course for people wanting to work with mild to moderate LD, enabling them to promote the independence of their clients but what are they going to do when they go into status or if the client has a trachy? They are often left feeling out of their depth.

I am not in any way condemning the LD courses as I think the amount of places should be increased and that it should get better recognition. I just feel that the course content should be updated to recognise the needs of the client group.

Sorry, gone off on one again

Back to topic. If you have to change branch then I would suggest adult. Although this is probably not the route you wish to take it opens up many more opportunities to you. It would probably be the easiest route for you to get into your chosen field once you are in Australia. I also think that you would have a better chance of getting into that branch. Like LD the places for child branch are very limited and therefore often difficult to transfer to.

If I could choose the route to go down again I would probably do adult as you can always convert to any of the other branches with a relatively short conversion course. Adult is definitely the one to give you the greatest opportunities.

If I can help in any way just pm me

Tracey.

Originally Posted by debbiemc

hi again Tracey,

small world eh, i too am a paeds nurse and currently working in a respite unit for children with LD/ complex needs and couldn't agree more with what you've said.

the unit i work in, there are 8 qualified and only 2 of us are paeds trained! 1 midwife, 1 mental health, 1 adult community and the others learning dissabilities!!! unfortunately, like you say theres definately the lack of medical training with Ld nurses. we get LD students who will never have any clinical training and work only with adults, but not paed students who regularly nurse children with complex health needs....how bizzare is that!

hope sam sticks it out, by the looks of the latest replies, theres hope in nsw.

chat soon

debs x

Originally Posted by tracey.d

Hi Sam,
Sorry you are having such a nightmare

I think getting your nursing qualifications in another country can be a bit of a nightmare, with LD being the worst. This is very sad as it is a very specialist area and the need for more LD nurses cannot be highlighted enough.

However, I am a paediatric nurse who, upon qualifying went into paed, LD/ complex needs. I really loved the job but found that the LD trained nurses although very good at the emotional/ social aspect of the job were not up to date with the medical needs of the kids. They were very devoted and had to learn as the childrens needs progressed.

With technology forever advancing the needs of some children are increasing rapidly. I personally think that there is a gap in the training of LD nurses. Sorry to any that read this . It is not the fault of the nurses but the universities. I think they lack the medical training required to work in this arena. I am not just saying this from my own viewpoint but from those who qualified at the same time and after me!!

At the university that I trained at the course is now combined with social work. This is a very good course for people wanting to work with mild to moderate LD, enabling them to promote the independence of their clients but what are they going to do when they go into status or if the client has a trachy? They are often left feeling out of their depth.

I am not in any way condemning the LD courses as I think the amount of places should be increased and that it should get better recognition. I just feel that the course content should be updated to recognise the needs of the client group.

Sorry, gone off on one again

Back to topic. If you have to change branch then I would suggest adult. Although this is probably not the route you wish to take it opens up many more opportunities to you. It would probably be the easiest route for you to get into your chosen field once you are in Australia. I also think that you would have a better chance of getting into that branch. Like LD the places for child branch are very limited and therefore often difficult to transfer to.

If I could choose the route to go down again I would probably do adult as you can always convert to any of the other branches with a relatively short conversion course. Adult is definitely the one to give you the greatest opportunities.

If I can help in any way just pm me

Tracey.

Originally Posted by Diane82

I've just completed my training as an LD nurse and totally agree with what you have said. I think there is no need to apologise for your opinion as we LD students have been saying the same thing to the university for years (talking to other groups who have studied before me). On one hand we are told that people with LD should be able to access mainstream services like everyone else, and there is no need for such degree of medical skills. At the same time we are told we need to have more grounded knowledge of anatomy/physiology as our client group cannot always communicate physical health problems.

I have just spent my last placement in an area for people with LD with complex, physical health needs (which is due for closure next year by the way!) and worked alongside RGNs and I have to admit, I have felt out of my depth which has certainly affected my confidence at the prospect of soon becoming a qualified nurse. I think the way forward would certainly be to do three years parallel training and post reg training in LD (I think this is a model which is proposed in Fitness to Practice by the NMC??). I think the role of the LD is becoming so specialist, now that the large institutions are closing down and social services seem to be taking over community homes/supported living (in North England anyway). I'm sure some of this will be unpopular and a lot of people may not agree with this.

I'm now facing the prospect of scraping around looking for jobs as an RNLD. I've been offered a 4 months preceptorship with the hospital where I have had my last placement with (large LD hospital) but they can't give me a contract after that. I feel quite disappointed. I love the client group I work with but can't see many opportunities in it, here and abroad.

Originally Posted by tracey.d

which uni did you do your training at?

Originally Posted by Diane82

Northumbria University

Originally Posted by walla1

here's an interesting publication:


http://www.scovo.org.uk/publications..._issues/72.pdf


personally speaking I'd prefer to see all nursing students receive LD training.

LD nursing is moving more to the social model and moving away from the medical model. All of the LD nurses I worked with in the UK would certainly agree. If a person living in the community and has specialist medical needs why can't community nurses deliver that care?

just a thought.....