ONLINE Course
Curriculum in IDD Healthcare
- 5 CME / 6 CEU Credit Hours
- Duration: 4.5hrs
- online
- Unlock the language of behavior and how it can point to specific underlying medical causes
- Improve communication between clinicians and supports of people with IDD to facilitate better healthcare
- Learn from real-life case studies
Description
This course was created and delivered by a physician for physicians and other clinicians to serve as a comprehensive IDD training curriculum. These six modules provide physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and physician assistants with pertinent, practical information that can be put to use immediately in their practices to improve outcomes for those with an intellectual development disorder and/or intellectual disability characteristics.
What the Curriculum Covers
As part of our commitment to IDD services, we’ve compiled an IDD training curriculum that covers a variety of essential topics for providing the best care possible for those with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Courses cover everything from the history of IDD treatment to the reasons behind the move from institutional to community-based support, with real-world applications that clinical staff can put to use right away to better serve their patients.
Through this curriculum, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the unique healthcare needs of those with IDD, with specialized courses designed by clinicians for clinicians.
- Click here to read real accounts from nurses about negative physician encounters.
- Click to download the Curriculum in IDD Healthcare eLearn Information Sheet and share it with your colleagues.
- Learn more about the need to educate healthcare providers about IDD healthcare from our President, Dr. Craig Escudé, in this 30 minute webinar.
Course Outline
IDD Basics: Then, Now and Next
Module Length: 37 Minutes
Diagnosis, causes, prevalence, and classifications are covered. The history of IDD treatment and the reasons for the move from institutional to community-based support are covered and much more.
Healthcare Basics in IDD
Module Length: 1 Hour 2 Minutes
A discussion of common medical issues, their presentations and general treatment options are covered. This discussion includes the “Fatal 5+” – Constipation, GERD, Aspiration, Seizures and Sepsis, as well as other topics like dehydration, osteoporosis, contraception, feeding tubes, wheelchairs, end-of-life considerations and basic dental issues.
Common Behavioral Presentations of Medical Conditions in People with IDD
Module Length: 34 Minutes
This talk discusses the many behaviors that may point to specific medical conditions in people with IDD. Topics include head banging, refusing meals, hand-mouth behavior, aggressiveness in particular situations, resisting lying down or sleeping, pica and many more.
Dual Diagnosis in IDD
Module Length: 46 Minutes
This module covers the challenges of diagnosing mental health conditions in people with IDD. It covers how certain non-verbal behaviors may point to a mental health condition and the importance of evaluating for underlying medical conditions before instituting treatment for adverse behaviors with psychotropic medications.
Effective Communication for IDD Healthcare
Module Length: 31 Minutes
This talk covers topics including understanding the differing baselines of people with IDD, fostering good communication between healthcare providers and support staff, speaking TO the person who is the patient rather than directing communication to the support staff, how to garner the most helpful information from support staff, and understanding the structure of the Team model of support.
Bringing it all Together: Case Studies in IDD Healthcare
Module Length: 34 Minutes
While case studies are sprinkled through the other presentations, this enjoyable and highly interactive workshop-type module focuses on specific cases to drive home the previously discussed topics illustrating practical applications of the information.
Results and Testimonials
Medical School Study Proves Efficacy of Curriculum in IDD Healthcare eLearn
A study was conducted by William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine about the efficacy of IntellectAbility’s Curriculum in IDD Healthcare eLearning course in teaching medical students about the fundamentals of IDD Healthcare. Based upon the data, the researchers concluded the online course was successful in increasing the student’s knowledge of IDD healthcare, confidence in treating people with IDD, and maximum ability to deliver effective medical care to people with IDD. Below is a graph depicting the results of the study taken from the poster being presented at the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine’s Education Leaders 2021 conference.
Improved Clinician Confidence
Participants were asked to rate their ability to deliver effective medical care to people with IDD prior to the course and after the course. The confidence level of clinicians in practice increased by over 62%, and for medical students, the increase was 107%!
Each participant also said they strongly agreed that they would “recommend this training to a colleague” and that the “training would change the way they treat people with IDD.”
Practicing Clinician Testimonials
Medical Student Testimonials
Practicing Clinician Testimonials
“This course should be mandatory for all medical students: would also benefit mid-level providers and nurses – (in fact, providers from every discipline and level of experience would benefit from this course!”
Jo L. Harbour, MD
“All medical providers and dentists should be required to take this course, and in my current job assisting IDD clients, I had no training or exposure to IDD healthcare. This a wonderfully condensed program full of valuable information.”
Julie Chisholm, FNP-C
“High Yield Material, flexible completion time. This is great information for someone new to caring for IDD patients. Maybe in a few years you could do a second level course!”
Stephen Kelly, DO
“The courses were great. They were exactly what we were looking for. Thank you for doing this! As we grow we will certainly have all of our providers take your modules.”
Deven Unadkat, DO, MPA, FACEP Chief Medical Officer StationMD
Medical Student Testimonials
“I really liked the way the information was presented (flow of information, conciseness, relevant examples from experience, etc.). The quality of information in this online course is one of the best i have had!”
Andrew George, 1st year medical student, WCUCOM
“After completed these modules, I appreciate the new perspective on diagnosing and managing healthcare for those with IDD. This training shares so much knowledge that builds upon what we have covered in medical school lectures.” “I appreciate this opportunity to learn more about IDD and how to adjust what we have learned in the classroom to better diagnose and treat these patients. It provided an entirely different perspective reliant on visual and behavioral cues.” “This exceeded my expectations. Thank you.”
Chloe Telles, medical student, WCUCOM
“I thought the layout was very well organized. I liked how it provided lists of questions and things to consider when dealing with IDD patients. There was good practical advice about things we could start asking immediately.”
N.U. 4th year medical student, WCUCOM
“The modules were easy to use. The material was professional and well presented.”
Z.E. 3rd year medical student, WCUCOM
Results
Participants were asked to rate their ability to deliver effective medical care to people with IDD prior to the course and after the course.The confidence level of clinicians in practice increased by over 62%, and for medical students, the increase was 107%!
Each participant also said they strongly agreed that they would “recommend this training to a colleague” and that the “training would change the way they treat people with IDD.”
