Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Caring for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Hospitalized to Inpatient Medical Settings: A Systematic Review

Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida, USA

Objective. The purpose of this systematic review was to elucidate current evidence regarding nurses’ attitudes about providing care to adults with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) who are hospitalized in medical settings. Background. Individuals who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or IDD are hospitalized 6 times more often than the general population, 1.44 times more likely to die in the hospital than are those in the general population and face higher hospital costs. Furthermore, the number of individuals having IDD is increasing in the United States. Studies revealed that nurses report more negative emotions about providing care to individuals with IDD. Methods. A seven-person team consisting of faculty and doctoral students conducted extensive literature search strategies to locate and appraise relevant literature reporting original data studies. The data were appraised using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results. Eight articles published up to November 2019 were included. Improved training, consistent patient information, and improved communication is needed. Conclusion. This systematic review illuminates the critical gaps in the scientific body of knowledge regarding effective interventions to address the persistent disparity in attitudes of registered nurses regarding caring for patients with IDD. Research data to inform the implementation of interventions to improve the attitude and emotions toward adults with IDD among nurses employed in acute care facilities is lacking. This dearth hinders the delivery of effective healthcare which results in an impaired nurse-patient relationship and increased costs. Grants. This study was not grant funded.