Objective: To describe the roles that Australian nurses play, the breadth of skills that they deploy, and the range of contexts in which they practice. Study design and methods: This cross-sectional study used a descriptive survey where data were collected online using Qualtrics©. Survey respondents were nurses whose primary role was caring for people with intellectual and developmental disability. In addition to demographic data, the main outcome measures were: nursing roles, practice and context. Results: Complete responses were collected from 101 nurses; 78 females and 22 males completed the survey, the majority of whom (n=70) were from New South Wales. The major focus of care was direct assessment and care, followed by supervision of support workers, education, and advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disability. Physical healthcare was consistent across body systems, as it was for all adaptive behaviour domains. Support for mental illness was more likely to be for depression and anxiety. Nurses liaise with a multitude of health and social agencies as part of their nursing practice. Discussion: This is the first study to capture the roles, practice and contexts of these Australian nurses. Nurses caring for people with IDD play a variety of roles and engage in a vast array of practice related to the physical and social needs of people with intellectual and developmental disability across the whole of the lifespan and in multiple, disparate contexts. Conclusion: It is important for the ongoing care of people with intellectual and developmental disability that the value added by this nursing workforce not be overlooked as disability and health policies evolve. Implications for research, policy and practice: This cross sectional study lays the groundwork for further research about these Australian nurses, in particular more focussed research about the economic benefits of disability services employing nurses, description and effect of nursing interventions specific to people with intellectual and developmental disability, as well as theoretical work to conceptualise new, National Disability Insurance Scheme-ready, models of nursing care for people with intellectual and developmental disability. What is already known about the topic?• In the Australian context, little is known about the contemporary roles and practice of nurses who care for people with intellectual and developmental disability.What this paper adds:• This paper offers a detailed and modern insight into the roles and nursing practice of this marginalised group of nurses. Although all nurses offer physical nursing care, unique to these nurses is the breadth and depth of social, behavioural, emotional and adaptive behaviour support across the lifespan.

中文翻译：

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对照顾智力和发育障碍人士的护士的全国调查

目标：描述澳大利亚护士扮演的角色、他们运用的技能的广度以及他们实践的环境范围。研究设计和方法：这项横断面研究使用了描述性调查，其中使用 Qualtrics© 在线收集数据。调查受访者是护士，其主要职责是照顾智力和发育障碍人士。除了人口统计数据外，主要的结果指标是：护理角色、实践和背景。结果：收集到 101 名护士的完整答复；78 名女性和 22 名男性完成了调查，其中大多数 (n=70) 来自新南威尔士州。护理的主要重点是直接评估和护理，其次是对支持人员的监督、教育以及对智力和发育障碍人士的宣传。身体保健在整个身体系统中是一致的，因为它适用于所有适应性行为领域。对精神疾病的支持更有可能是对抑郁和焦虑的支持。作为护理实践的一部分，护士与众多健康和社会机构保持联系。讨论：这是第一项捕捉这些澳大利亚护士的角色、实践和背景的研究。照顾 IDD 患者的护士扮演着各种角色，并参与了与智力和发育障碍患者在整个生命周期和多种不同背景下的身体和社会需求相关的大量实践。结论：随着残疾和健康政策的发展，这支护理人员的附加值不能被忽视，这对于智力和发育障碍人士的持续护理非常重要。对研究、政策和实践的影响：这项横断面研究为进一步研究这些澳大利亚护士奠定了基础，特别是关于雇用护士的残疾服务的经济效益、针对智障人士的护理干预的描述和效果的更集中研究。发展性残疾，以及为智力和发育性残疾的人设计新的、国家残疾保险计划就绪的护理模式的理论工作。关于该主题的已知信息是什么？• 在澳大利亚的背景下，对护理智力和发育障碍患者的护士的当代角色和实践知之甚少。本文补充说：• 本文提供了对这一边缘化护士群体的角色和护理实践的详细和现代见解。尽管所有护士都提供身体护理，但这些护士的独特之处在于在整个生命周期中提供社会、行为、情感和适应性行为支持的广度和深度。