Care of the Young Adult with Down Syndrome: A Time of Transition

Price (includes one year of access and CE):  US$14 Course Code: 7SENNF-PRV-09-ddn13s33 CE: 2.75 Hours. Post Test Score Required for Successful Completion: 80%

Course Overview:

This module considers the nurse's role in the family-centered care of young adults with Down syndrome and reviews potential health problems that can affect adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome. Adolescence to adulthood is a time of transitions, with dramatic physical and emotional changes occurring as young people mature and establish their independence. These transitions can be especially challenging for young people with Down syndrome because mental retardation and other disabilities can impede the usual progression from childhood to adult autonomy. This module uses Down syndrome as a model for describing how nurses can help people with cognitive and functional limitations to make adolescent-to-adult transitions in four areas: to work from school, to independent living from living at home with family, to managing their own health care, and to developing adult sexuality and relationships.

Course Objectives:

After completion of this learning activity, the learner will be able to:

• describe medical and nursing interventions for common health issues associated with adolescents and young adults who have Down syndrome.
• describe the criteria for classification of mental retardation in persons with Down syndrome and expected mental functioning based on IQ score ranges.
• discuss the role of the nurse in providing family-centered care to persons with Down syndrome.
• describe the role of the nurse in facilitating transitions from adolescence to adulthood in persons with Down syndrome, including transitions from school to work, to independent living, to medical self-care, and to adult sexuality and relationships.

This courseware was made possible in part by grant number R43 NR04738-03 from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors.

Copyright© 1999, 2007 by HealthSoft, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

HealthSoft, Inc. is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the New York State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

It has been assigned code 7SENNF-PRV-09.

This course is updated annually. Expiration date: 5/1/11

The faculty and planners of this course have no vested interests to disclose.

This course has received no commercial support.