Hospital Staff
Emergency Department
In these scenes that take place in a cubicle in the Emergency Department, Jeff and Amelia, his support worker, are joined by Lynne, his sister. They are being attended to by George, a nurse.
Applying the Framework
Knowing that
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Families vary in how involved they are in their relative's life and their availability to be with them in hospital.
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Accompanying people may change as a patient journeys through the hospital.
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Disability workers may bring information about the patient and their history in the form of a folder/ hospital passport.
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Who usually makes decisions with or for the person may be in this document or the disability support worker may know.
Informing
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If you don't have time to read detailed documents, asking the patient or accompanying person to retrieve the specific information you need.
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Forewarning patients with intellectual disabilities and accompanying people so they can prepare for what will happen next.
Collaborating is when you
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take the time to listen to concerns
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acknolwedge that family and disability support workers can contribute different information
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recognise that accompanying people can explain what is about to happen to the patient in ways that help them understand
Supporting
Patients with intellectual disabilities will feel supported when you
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introduce yourself
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include them in conversations regardless of whether they understand you
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take the time to explain changes
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give them time to adjust to changes
Accompanying people will feel supported when you
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include them in your introductions and conversation with the patient
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recognise the patient's need for reassurance by explaining, using a calming tone and taking time
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show that you value what they tell you and the documents they bring
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accept their offers of help to support the patient
Transition to a Ward
In this scene, you meet Cassandra. Johnno, her disability support worker has accompanied her to hospital. They are joined by Lorraine, a social worker, who is explaining and helping with the admission process.
Applying the Framework
Knowing that
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For patients with intellectual disabilities, the transition to a ward can be difficult because they may not understand the reason and be anxious about changes.
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It is often difficult to judge a patient's ability to understand what you tell them.
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They may rely on other forms of communication, such as picture boards or books, which can help them to understand what you are saying
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Some patients with intellectual disabilities require personal care assistance, such as for eating and drinking, toileting and adjusting themselves in bed.
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Good practice for disability support workers includes advocating for people they support.
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Disability support workers and family sometimes anticipate needs or problems because of previous hospital experiences.
Informing
You will need to ask the accompanying person
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about their role and relationship to the patient
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how the person communicates
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the best way to help them understand what is about to happen
You will need to tell the patient and accompanying person
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your role
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what is about to happen
Collaborating is when you
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recognise that accompanying people advocate for the needs of the patient
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listen to the concerns of the patient and/or the accompanying person
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act on their concerns
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enlist their help to address patient needs
Supporting
Patients with intellectual disabilities will feel included and reassured when you
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talk directly to them, even if you aren't sure they understand
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pay attention to their support needs
Accompanying people will feel supported when you
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share information about the patient's needs with other hospital staff
Summary
People with intellectual disabilities vary in their communication abilities. It can be difficult to know what a person with intellectual disability understands. Regardless of how they communicate and what they might understand, it is important to explain changes or transitions, which they can find difficult. They may not understand your words but your tone can reassure and include them. You can use pictures and enlist the help of an accompanying person when explaining what is about to happen.
You can find information in Resources about communication and people with intellectual disabilities and Augmentative and Alternative communication.
Activities
These are provided to support your learning, individually or in a group. You can write responses in the workbook sections available for download.
Write your responses to the following in your workbook:
1. Explain why transitions from one part of the hospital to another may be difficult for patients with intellectual disabilities.
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List the strategies used by Lynne and Amelia to reassure Jeff about the upcoming move
2. In the scenes with Cassandra, a picture communication system, which is an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system, was used.
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Describe any previous experience you have had with pictured communication systems or other forms of AAC.
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List any questions you have about communicating with people with intellectual disabilities.
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Explain how Johnno's use of Cassandra's communication book may have helped her prepare for what was about to happen.