Staff perceptions of community learning disability nurses' role.

AIM: This study examines the views of health and social care staff in relation to their perception of the role of community learning disability nurses.

METHOD: A total of 40 staff completed a questionnaire to identify the role and rate the effectiveness of community learning disability nurses. Inter-rater reliability was assessed and themes were identified.

FINDINGS: Staff see community learning disability nurses as having service development, liaison and consultancy roles. However, respondents also continued to emphasise nurses' direct clinical role, with over 40 per cent identifying assessment and treatment. The perceived effectiveness of the community learning disability nurse was 4.09, SD = 0.71, indicating that staff generally perceived the service to be effective.

CONCLUSION: Community learning disability nurses are viewed by their multidisciplinary colleagues as having a broad and varied role, which is consistent with the role, identified by nurses themselves. They may need to consider how to further develop their services in relation to clients' physical health. Overall, all participants rated the nursing service as effective.