Commitment to Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are a heterogeneous group of people with health conditions and factors affecting their health that can vary in kind, manifestation, severity, and complexity from those of others in the community. Population-specific differences result in health care disparities among individuals with IDD that are costly to individuals, families, communities, and health care systems. Individuals with IDD need health promotion and preventive services, high-quality acute care, specialty services, and palliative and end-of-life care.

The Wegmans School of Nursing intentionally integrates care of individuals with IDD into the undergraduate curriculum in order to prepare a nursing workforce with adequate education/training, experience, and confidence to provide quality care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and meet the complex needs of patients across populations.