The additional challenges facing patients with a learning disability being treated for a critical illness are discussed by Kerry Welch and Justine Barksby

Being a patient in an intensive care unit can be extremely stressful. As well as having to cope with being critically ill, patients are subjected to an environment that can cause acute anxiety and confusion. This article describes the importance of the role of learning disability nurses in helping patients and their families to cope with this unfamiliar and demanding situation.