20 Years of Positive Behaviour Support – Implementing PBS in a large scale service setting, and the role of the clinical nurse specialist

Background: The authors’ institution has been committed to the provision of Positive Behaviour Support for people with Intellectual Disability and behaviours that challenge for over 20 years. Though an multidisciplinary... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
The authors’ institution has been committed to the provision of Positive Behaviour Support for people with Intellectual Disability and behaviours that challenge for over 20 years. Though an multidisciplinary approach, a variety of procedures have been used to implement Positive Behaviour Support on both a macro and micro level.

Aims & Objectives:
This paper discusses and evaluates the methods that have been used to implement Positive Behaviour Support. It will discuss successes and opportunities for improvement identified in doing so. It also looks to examine the role of the registered nurse in the process, how that role has developed over this time, and how it has fitted into an interdisciplinary structure.

Description & Impact of Innovation:
This paper draws together research from the last 20 years including training evaluations, outcome audits and staff surveys. These are used to evaluate the impact of a variety of innovations used to implement PBS, including training, clinical governance structures and work practices.

Conclusions and Implications:
The provision of Positive Behaviour Support is now mandated in the Health Act (2007), and forms part of the HIQA standards for evaluating service provision. It is an area that can often be underdeveloped in intellectual disability services, and it is hoped that by sharing the results of our experience to date, it may assist other services in developing Positive Behaviour Support services in an efficient and effective manner.