Bachelor of Science - Nursing (Intellectual Disability) (DC217)

In this speciality field, intellectual disability nurses work as part of a cross-disciplinary team that strives to enable and empower people with intellectual disabilities to achieve their full potential.

Intellectual disability can affect two aspects of people’s lives – their intellectual functioning (such as learning, problem solving, judgement) and their adaptive functioning (in activities of daily life such as communication and independent living). During this course, students will come to develop the professional knowledge, skills and attitudes they’ll need to care for people with intellectual disability.

Combining theory and clinical practice

Students will study a diverse curriculum, incorporating both theory and clinical elements. Throughout the course, they’ll go on clinical placements to gain experience in areas such as childhood education and development, disorders of human behaviour, acute nursing and other specialist areas in disability care. Once they graduate, students can ​​register as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). 

Intellectual disability nurses work in acute care, respite care, community facilities, residential facilities, workshops, schools, retirement care, and home nursing. They also work in disability and healthcare services, in areas such as management, education, other therapies and research. Graduates will also be qualified to work abroad or could go on to further study.