This research project aims to explore the factors which help or hinder the Registered Nurse Intellectual Disability to take part in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses in the south east region. The springboard for this project is Theme 3 of the Shaping the Future of Intellectual Disability (ID) Nursing in Ireland which aims to enhance research and scholarship among ID nurses in Ireland.
Registered Nurses in Intellectual Disabilities (RNID) and intellectual disabilities service providers will complete an online survey to help the research team to identify which issues present the most challenges to participation in CPD courses. They will also have a chance to recommend the type of CPD courses they want to expand the skill set of the modern RNID to provide care for the changing and growing population of people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland. This may help to develop and enhance the CPD nursing curricula to meet the growing need for skilled RNID’s by adopting successful integration the challenges and facilitators to CPD engagement principles into continuing education.
Investment in CPD training is required for the delivery of responsive and quality person centered care for people with intellectual disability. The research results may be of direct interest to the Waterford Institute of Technology as the CPD nursing programme is developing to meet current health care needs as they would offer invaluable information and the opportunity to address issues around engaging with CPD and the lack of specific clinical CPD for ID nurses.
