Forensic Learning Disability Nursing Skills and Competencies: A Study of Forensic and Non-Forensic Nurses

Abstract

This paper reports on an investigation into the skills and competencies of forensic learning disability nurses in the United Kingdom. The two sample populations were forensic learning disability nurses from the high, medium, and low secure psychiatric services and non-forensic learning disability nurses from generic services. An information gathering schedule was used to collect the data; of 1200 schedules, 643 were returned for a response rate of 53.5%. The data identified the "top ten" problems that forensic learning disability nurses may encounter, the skills and competencies necessary to overcome them, and the areas that need to be developed in the future. The results indicated that the forensic learning disability nurses tended to focus on the physical aspects to the role whilst the non-forensic learning disability nurses tended to perceive the forensic role in relational terms. This has implications for practice, policy, and procedures.

An exploration of the practice, policy and legislative issues of the specialist area of nursing people with intellectual disability: A scoping review

“…ID nurses working within a variety of community settings have identified the growing complexity of both the mental health and physical care needs of the people with ID (Gibbs & Priest, ; Mason & Phipps, ). This requires a broad approach to the role in order to encompass psychological, physical and social well‐being, suggesting an important relationship between the role of the ID nurse and engagement with primary health services (Caan & Hampton‐Matthews, ; Camus, ; Gibbs & Priest, ; Parrish & Sines, ; Williamson & Johnson, ).…”

Predictive validity of the START for unauthorised leave and substance abuse in a secure mental health setting: A pseudo-prospective cohort study

“…The assessment and management of risk in secure and forensic mental health settings is central to the role of mental health and learning disability nurses (Bowen and Mason, 2012;Doyle and Dolan, 2008;Fluttert et al, 2008;Kettles and Woods, 2006;Mason and Phipps, 2010;Rask and Aberg, 2002;Timmons, 2010). Risk assessment has traditionally focused on the prediction of aggression and violence, but outcomes like unauthorised leave and substance abuse have significant potential to interrupt patient's recovery and jeopardise service delivery (Bowers et al, 2005;Isaac et al, 2005;Muir-Cochrane and Mosel, 2008;Scott et al, 2004).…”

Working with people with learning disabilities in varying degrees of security: nurses' perceptions of competencies

“…Forensic learning disability nursing consequently remains an emerging speciality with no clear consensus about the precise competencies required. Mason and Phipps () highlight that, although there has been significant research regarding the skills and competencies used by learning disability nurses in a non‐forensic setting, little work has been undertaken with those working in forensic services. The ways learning disability nurses undertake the role may thus depend on their own perception of the job and the influence of the care environment, and their training and education.…”

“…Research undertaken with nurses working in a forensic setting suggests that there are several competencies that may be key to successful practice, but that how these are manifest is mediated by the type of setting where they are working (Mason et al . ,b, Mason & Phipps ). Furthermore, there is also evidence that skills evident in other forensic nursing roles may be transferable to the forensic learning disability role.…”

“…Some factors were common to all three settings, such as team working, balancing care and control; others were setting‐specific, for example, those working in a high secure setting did not see discharge planning and community support as part of their role. The proposal that the setting influences the relevance of specific competencies is further strengthened by Mason and Phipps' () observation that forensic nurses placed more emphasis on physical competencies, such as management of violence, control and restraint, administration of medication, risk assessment and risk management than those not working in a forensic setting.…”