URochester Medicine / Transitional Care Medicine / ASCEND Training Program

ASCEND Training Program

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) often have worse healthcare experiences and outcomes compared to people without disabilities. The Advancing Supportive Care through Education for Nurses about Disabilities (ASCEND) program is a nurse training program designed to empower nurses to effectively care for children and adults with I/DD in the hospital. Developed by disability advocates, nurses, and providers, ASCEND educates nurses on attitudes and barriers to care, medical comorbidities, adapted nursing care environments, mental health, and managing a crisis. The ASCEND program is available to hospitals at no cost.

Interested in ASCEND? Let us know!

ASCEND Information Request

By the Numbers

2100+

Staff Completed Online Modules

200+

Participants in Simulations

Program Structure

ASCEND includes two tiers that are built upon each other. External partners looking to implement ASCEND at their organization can choose to implement only Tier 1 or both Tiers 1 and 2.

Tier 1: Online Modules

The online modules consist of five 20-minute videos that include educational information, advocate and nurse interviews, and interactive activities. These modules can be made available at no cost through any Learning Management System.

The online modules feature:

Educational information

Advocate and nurse interviews

Interactive activities

Tier 2: Simulation Experience

Simulations include in-person clinical encounters with standardized patient actors. Nurses will rotate through three scenarios involving a patient with I/DD in different inpatient/ED settings. Following each case, expert facilitators provide immediate feedback through a structured debrief.

Our Success So Far

Nurses who completed ASCEND reported:

Improved comfort providing clinical services to people with IDD

Improved disability-specific knowledge

Improved perceptions of organizational climate supporting use of adapted care

Online Module Participant Evaluation

Pie chart showing 90% of online module participants were likely to change their behavior or practice in terms of knowledge, skills, and/or attitude based on participation.

90% of online module participants were likely to change their behavior or practice in terms of knowledge, skills, and/or attitude based on participation.

Simulation Participant Evaluation

Pie chart showing 99% of simulation participants were likely to change their behavior or practice in terms of knowledge, skills, and/or attitude based on participation

99% of simulation participants were likely to change their behavior or practice in terms of knowledge, skills, and/or attitude based on participation.

Feedback from Nurses

Absolutely loved it and can confidently say that it was by far the best education and learning opportunity I have participated in over my 6 years at the U of R.”

The simulations and debriefing were very beneficial, and I learned a lot on how to communicate and interact with individuals with IDD.”

Found this course extremely beneficial and eye-opening. Enjoyed being challenged by the simulation experience.”

This class has changed my outlook and perspective on this population.”

I think that this training was great and very informative. The simulations were AWESOME! I think that this education will greatly help my nursing practice and help me feel less anxious when caring for the IDD population.”

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2401NYSCDD from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, the Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201 through the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities (NYS CDD). Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy or the opinions, interpretation, or policy of the NYS CDD.