Mission
Developmental disability nurses work in partnership with clients of developmental disability services, acknowledging and valuing the client’s right to independence, self-determination, choice and decision-making.
Developmental disability nurses have proven their commitment to people with developmental disabilities and their families by continuing to be the largest professional group working with people with a developmental disability. The professional knowledge, skills and experience nurses bring to the area of developmental disability is unsurpassed.
The handicaps associated with people with developmental disabilities are lifelong and therefore affect the person across their entire lifespan. People with developmental disabilities tell us that they wish to be acknowledged as people first, not by their impairments, disabilities or handicaps alone. They simply have an intellectual impairment; it is not the sum total of their individuality.
They are people first who: laugh, cry, love and live as part of a community and have the same wishes, needs and aspirations as the rest of us.
Developmental disability nurses aim to ensure that people with developmental disabilities are provided with the opportunities to achieve their fullest potential in all aspects of community life.
Nursing practice is said to be characterised by the judicious, skilful, situation specific interpretation and application of nursing knowledge. This knowledge enhances the dignity of each person while maintaining and valuing their right to independence and self-determination.
Accordingly, developmental disability nursing practice will encompass these same characteristics and will effect the highest levels of professional care delivery.
The intent of the standards of practice is therefore to provide a means of evaluating nursing practice as related to client outcomes and to promote developmental disability nursing.
The minimum expected level of performance is determined by these standards.
