Exploring the relative importance of factors that influence the job retention of social care staff working in intellectual disability services

Abstract

We wanted to find out what would help care staff to stay in their jobs.• The most important thing for them was getting on well with the person they supported.• The next most important thing was their pay.• These results can be used to find ways to help staff stay in their jobs.• This is important to make sure that people with a learning disability get good support.

Fourth year intellectual disability student nurses’ journey and future work intention: a qualitative study

“…This change and reconfiguring in the absence of a clear pathway for the intellectual disability nurse role within primary and community care teams creates confusion and role ambiguity. Growing numbers of social care workers are now recruited into the intellectual disability sector with demand outstriping supply [ 100 ], while important for care provision social care workers cannot replace the clinical care an intellectual disability nurse can provide. While there has been a national review of intellectual disability nursing which highlights the need for intellectual disability nurses [ 6 ], there is a vacuum which has been created in the absence of a visible and communicated plan for the professional work group.…”

“…Given that intellectual disability operates on the fringes of the nursing profession and that the size of the specialty of intellectual disability nursing accounts for just 6.75% of the nursing profession [97] there is a need for national leadership from within the profession, health service providers and health agency. Given the evidence of the complex health needs, access issues and health disparities of people with intellectual disability it is essential that we recruit and retain nurses with specialised unique knowledge and skills, and competence to work with people with intellectual disability [98][99][100].…”