Nursing Students with Disabilities: One Faculty's Journey

Abstract

Legislation requires universities to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities to facilitate their access to post-secondary education. In the case of professional programs, educators must think beyond the classroom and consider the implications for clinical practice. The nature of some students' accommodations prompted concerns about the students' ability to meet program expectations. This paper describes the explorations and actions of the University of Manitoba Faculty of Nursing regarding working with undergraduate nursing students with disabilities. The paper includes a summary of literature, strategies adopted to facilitate access to nursing education for students with disabilities, and issues that require further attention.

Access and participation in higher education of students with disabilities: access to what?

“…Studies elsewhere have reported similar negative attitudes among teaching staff and regret by students over disclosing their disability (Ashcroft et al 2008;Payne and Irons 2003;Morris and Turnbull 2007;White 2007;Morris and Turnbull 2006). Although under the DDA, universities are required to provide equal access to higher education courses, regardless of disability, and to provide 'adjustments' for such students to afford them the same opportunities as other students, many lecturers are unaware of their legislative and institutional responsibilities, placing their students at a disadvantage and exposing their university to complaints of discrimination under the legislation.…”

“…Several studies have focused on nursing education as one area where a student's disability may impact on their ability to successfully undertake the conventional practical placement (Ashcroft et al 2008;Christensen 1998;Colon 1997;Helms and Weiler 1993;Lord and Willis 1997;Magilvy and Mitchell 1995;Murphy and Brennan 1998;Richhariya-Leahy 2000: Shellenbarger 1993Watson 1995;Wright 1997).…”

“…Smith (1999) refers to this as 'cultural cartography', the drawing of borders around those considered to be 'normal', and subsequently to the labelling of those outside the curve as 'deviant', thus, according to Davis (1995), producing a 'hegemony of normalcy'. In contrast, a conventional 'medical' model of disability (seeing disability as an inherent medical condition of the individual) tends to be dominant in the areas of nursing and nurse education (Ashcroft et al 2008;Marks 2007;Moore 2004).…”

Building Academic Communities to Support Nursing Students with Disabilities: An Integrative Review

“…These articles conclude that students with disabilities have the right to equitable access across academic communities (Sharples, 2008) and that faculty must work to develop a framework for working with these students and providing accommodations. However, special consideration should be given to how these students will perform in the clinical setting (Ashcroft, Chernomas, Davis, et al, 2008).…”

Attitudes Toward Nursing Students With Disabilities: Promoting Social Inclusion

“…Most of the above studies focused on attitudes of nursing students and RNs toward patients with disabilities. Only recently have scholars (Arndt, 2004;Ashcroft et al, 2008;Carroll, 2004;Maheady, 2004Maheady, , 2006Matt, 2008;Neal-Boylan & Guillett, 2008;Neal-Boylan, 2012;Neal-Boylan et al, 2011;Wood & Marshall, 2010) expanded this discourse to nursing colleagues with disabilities (i.e., individuals who entered nursing training program or practice with a congenital or acquired disability). Nurses with disabilities reported encountering social and physical barriers when their disability was disclosed.…”