The Nursing Network in Intellectual Disability Ireland (NNIDI) has produced Nursing in Intellectual Disabilities: Irish and International Perspectives which is available to download for free (from https://www.nnidi.com/publications). The NNIDI exist to promote an Intellectual Disability Network in Ireland. It was set up in 2007 and grew out of previous network groups which represented Nurse Teachers in Intellectual Disability Nursing; over the years, it has extended its membership to include representatives from practice areas and service providers.
In his foreword, Professor Bob Gates suggests that this is an important new textbook for the specialism of Intellectual Disability Nursing, and this reviewer agrees. The editors, Paul Michael Keenan and Dr Owen Doody, start with a brief history of the NNIDI and introduce the book’s 10 chapters.
Chapters one and two, ‘Intellectual Disabilities Concepts and Meanings’ and ‘Intellectual Disability Social Policy: An Overview’, are written by Paul Michael Keenan and Dr Owen Doody. These give a useful outline of the development of the terminology used in intellectual disability in Ireland and the challenges of accurately measuring the population of people with intellectual disability in this country. Intellectual disability social policy from 1945 up to the present is outlined in chapter two. The evolution of services in Ireland is described briefly and the trend, in policy at least, for people with intellectual disabilities and their families to play an increasing role in their care and the supports that they receive is noted.
Chapter three, ‘Domains of Competence in Intellectual Disability Nursing’ by Dr Lynn Marsh, presents an interesting discussion on the recent changes in nursing education in Ireland and the nursing competencies which underpin the preparation for joining the profession. Dr Marsh invites the reader to consider the challenges faced not only in assessing competence in the current educational system for registered nurses, but also the generic nature of those competencies, which are standardised across all branches of nursing.
In chapter four, ‘Advances in Intellectual Disability Nursing in Ireland’, Dr Doody describes the further development of roles in Intellectual Disability Nursing in Ireland. This chapter concentrates on the development of the Clinical Nurse Specialist and Advanced Nurse Practitioner roles since 2001. It contains a useful commentary on the diversity of these roles in the Republic of Ireland and points to the need for greater support for the research remit among practitioners, in order for the roles to reach their full potential.
Chapter five, ‘Person-centred Planning: A Way of Being and Serving Rather than Simply Saying and Doing’, is written by Paul Michael Keenan and recognises that the philosophy of person-centredness and person-centred planning, feature largely in both Irish and international policy. However, he notes that in Ireland there is little evidence to show its practical application. The review of the current research at the end of this chapter is useful for nurses and students, albeit that the conclusion of the author is that the evidence to date is limited.
Chapter six, ‘Nurse Prescribing’ written by the editors, outlines the introduction of nurse prescribing in Ireland. The chapter is useful, in that it describes the criteria required to be a nurse prescriber and also the practice of nurse prescription. The authors give an overview of the evidence that exists in terms of nurse prescribing in Ireland, although it is recognised that there needs to be more done in the area of intellectual disability.
Professor Michael Brown authored chapter seven, ‘Intellectual Disability Liaison Nursing’, which includes a description of the first nursing liaison service for people with intellectual disability, established in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1999. There is a very interesting and useful summary of the health needs of people with intellectual disability and particularly those necessitating general hospital access. The challenges that exist for general hospital personnel and systems, in providing adequate access for people who have intellectual disabilities, are discussed. A review of the investigations and enquiries into the experiences of people with intellectual disability which have been instigated in the United Kingdom is included, along with a summary of recommendations from these reports. The role of the Intellectual Disability Liaison Nurse is described in some detail and should provide a good platform from which to discuss the development of the role in Ireland.
Chapter eight is a chapter on ‘Networking in Practice’ written by Professor Ruth Northway. This chapter briefly introduces the concept of networking and proposes its importance for nurses. It is a key consideration at the moment, where intellectual disability nurses are working in more and more diverse settings and are increasingly frequently working in isolation. The establishment and maintenance of nursing networks is facilitated by social media and Professor Northway provides some very useful tables on social media accounts to follow, but also refers to more traditional methods of networking such as meetings and conferences which continue to be very important in staying in touch with professional colleagues. Professor Northway emphasises that the purpose of networking in intellectual disability nursing is not only about creating a support for Intellectual Disability Nurses but moreover, by collaborating with those colleagues, providing a better service to the people that they work with.
The final two chapters of the book are written by Suzanna Weedle and Eloise Sheerin, and Suzanna Weedle , respectively. These chapters describe the experiences of the recently graduated Registered Nurses in Intellectual Disability in Malawi and Belarus. Interesting comparisons are drawn between the societies, cultures and services in both of those countries and Ireland. Immensely readable, the chapters demonstrate the deep learning acquired by these students. Their ability to apply their knowledge and skills to the situations they found themselves in is very impressive. Their insight into the wider issues affecting how we perceive and respond to disability is advanced and well informed. I will be recommending them to my students.
This small volume manages to set the context of Intellectual Disability Nursing practice in contemporary Ireland. It aimed ‘to provide scholarly perspectives on key contemporary areas relevant to person centred nursing care for people with an intellectual disability’ and the choice of content has contributed to this very well.
The research presented in the chapters of Nursing in Intellectual Disabilities is one of its strengths, and this will prove valuable to practitioners, educators and students. The editors hope that this will be the first in a series of books and I too hope it will. The NNIDI have an opportunity to develop a platform, in real partnership with the people we work for, in order to deliver on the aspirations of current polices in Intellectual Disability in Ireland.
Susan Carton
Disability Studies, St Angela’s College, Sligo, Ireland