Nurse - Learning Disability
Support people of all ages with learning disabilities to live full, healthy and independent lives.
Also known as: registered nurse (learning disabilities)
About the job
A day in the life – Learning disability nurse
What it's like
Could you support people living with learning disabilities? Would you find fulfilment in helping individuals and their families enjoy good health and live life to the fullest? If so, a career as a learning disability nurse could be perfect for you.
In this role, you'll help people achieve their goals. You'll provide direct support, act as an advocate and educate other professionals.
Direct support
You'll assess people’s complete health and social care needs, helping them to:Â
develop their ability to communicate
learn practical skills for an independent and fulfilling life – for example, you may help support people as they manage their personal hygiene, use public transport or dress themselves
Advocacy and service improvementÂ
In this area of the job, you'll act as an advocate to make sure people get the right support. As part of this, you'll:
help remove barriers to healthcare and wellbeing servicesÂ
make sure the person you're supporting, and their family or caregivers, can access the right servicesÂ
challenge stigma and discriminationÂ
contribute to projects that improve outcomes for people who have learning disabilitiesÂ
Collaboration and educationÂ
Learning disability nurses work with colleagues across healthcare and social care to:Â
improve their understanding of learning disabilitiesÂ
coordinate and plan care for people with learning disabilities
give advice and emotional support to families and caregiversÂ
Learning disability nurses understand how a person's health can be affected by co-occurring conditions. These can include physical disabilities, epilepsy or mental health problems.
You'll also need to be sensitive to the needs of your client, have patience and remain in control during difficult situations.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
NHS Scotland Careers– learn how to become a learning disability nurse
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) – get details of the standards for nursing training
Disclosure Scotland – discover more information about the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- making decisions
- developing a plan
- social conscience
- empathising
- researching
- verbal communication
- listening
- supporting
- resilience
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Biology
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Care
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Chemistry
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Childcare and Development
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Human Biology
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Skills for Work: Health and Social Care
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You'll need a degree to work as a learning disability nurse in Scotland.
University
Learning disability nurses must have a degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject, such as Learning Disability Nursing.
The Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) offers Access to Nursing and Access to Health and Social Care courses. These courses allow people who have been out of education for a few years to gain a qualification that will get them into a degree course.
To apply for a SWAP course, you'll need to have been out of education for either:
three or more years if your highest qualifications are at National 5 level
five or more years if you studied Highers
Use the My World of Work course search to find Learning Disability Nursing degrees and SWAP courses.
College
Are you already working in healthcare? Or perhaps you don't have the qualifications you need to get in to a Learning Disability Nursing degree?
These HNC or HND courses are stepping stones that can help you get into a Learning Disability Nursing degree:
Care and Administrative Practice
Healthcare Practice
Social Services
Apprenticeships
Want to build some relevant skills or gain more qualifications before going to university? You might want to consider a Modern Apprenticeship in Healthcare Support.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a learning disability nurse. Search for caring-based opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Once you've qualified as a learning disability nurse, you'll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
All learning and disability nurses must be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, run by Disclosure Scotland.
You'll need to complete a medical examination to make sure you're physically fit.
You must provide evidence that you do not have, and have been immunised against, Hepatitis B.
Studying learning disability nursing at university
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