ALISO VIEJO, Calif. - Sept. 3, 2025 – Specialized training and enhanced support for nurses and other clinicians who provide care to critically ill patients with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDDs) would help improve the quality of care and well-being for neurodiverse patients, their families and clinical staff.
The recommendations are among the findings of a study that explores the lived experiences of critical care nurses who had personally provided care to patients with IDDs within a five-year period. The research is published in American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC).
“Nursing Care of Patients With Intellectual Developmental Disabilities in Intensive Care Units: A Phenomenological Study” details the key findings and overarching themes from semistructured individual interviews conducted via online videoconferencing. A total of 49 participants were recruited through an online advertisement to members of a professional nursing association and personal referrals from those who initially responded.
Lead author Adrianna Lorraine Watson, PhD, RN, CCRN, TCRN, is an assistant professor at the College of Nursing, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
“Current processes often fail to identify and accommodate patients with IDDs, which may hinder equitable care and contribute to nurses’ moral distress and job dissatisfaction,” she said. “Neurodiverse individuals and those with IDDs are part of a vulnerable patient population that needs specialized care. The nurses who care for them have a unique perspective and valuable insights into specific strategies that would support nurses and patients in achieving optimal outcomes.”
Five main themes emerged from the analysis and capture ICU nurses’ experiences caring for patients with IDDs.
- Equity and safeguarding: This theme highlights the vulnerabilities of patients with IDDs, emphasizing the need for systemic support to address risks of abuse, neglect and disparities in care.
- Family or caregiver involvement: This theme showcases the crucial role of family in providing emotional support, improving communication and reducing patients’ stress for more effective, patient-centered care.
- Building ties with people with IDDs: This theme explores how personal experiences and relationships with individuals with IDDs enhance nurses’ empathy, communication and ability to navigate care challenges.
- Need for specialized processes in the ICU: This theme identifies systemic barriers such as misattribution of symptoms as delirium or medication effects, stressing the importance of tailored protocols to improve care.
- Need for enhanced nursing support: This theme addresses the strain on nurses caused by inadequate staffing, resources and training, calling for administrative recognition and specialized roles to support nurses’ well-being and the quality of patient care.
Based on the various themes, the study identifies several potential interventions that merit additional research and could drive change in current environmental, systemic and individualized approaches to nursing care for patients with IDDs.
To access the article and full-text PDF, visit the AJCC website at www.ajcconline.org.
About the American Journal of Critical Care: The American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC), a bimonthly scientific journal published by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, provides leading-edge clinical research that focuses on evidence-based-practice applications. Established in 1992, the award-winning journal includes clinical and research studies, case reports, editorials and commentaries. AJCC enjoys a circulation of about 130,000 acute and critical care nurses and can be accessed at www.ajcconline.org.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: For more than 50 years, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has been dedicated to acute and critical care nursing excellence. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. AACN is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, with about 130,000 members and nearly 200 chapters in the United States.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 27071 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656; 949-362-2000; www.aacn.org; facebook.com/aacnface; x.com/aacnme