Learning disability nursing in a remote and rural location: benefits and challenges
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Learning disability nursing in a remote and rural location: benefits and challenges

Gary Docherty Consultant learning disability nurse, Learning Disability Service, NHS Shetland, Independent Living Centre, Lerwick, Scotland
Fiona McColl Learning disability nursing student, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland

Why you should read this article:
  • To understand the unique demands on learning disability nursing in remote and rural locations

  • To consider the barriers that can affect care in rural areas, such as lack of access to specialist services

  • To appreciate the need for innovation and creative solutions when working in remote locations

Learning disability nursing in remote and rural locations can often be challenging, in part due to limited resources and access to services, but it can also be highly rewarding. This article describes the benefits and challenges of learning disability nursing in Shetland, a remote and rural location that comprises a group of islands north of the Scottish mainland. It also includes the reflections and insights of a nursing student who completed a nine-week placement on Shetland, to provide another perspective of learning disability nursing in this setting.

Learning Disability Practice. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2024.e2236

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

@GarydocD

Correspondence

fiona.mccoll@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Docherty G, McColl F (2024) Learning disability nursing in a remote and rural location: benefits and challenges. Learning Disability Practice. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2024.e2236

Published online: 18 April 2024

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