Able Nurses & Midwives Barbara Waters Ex CE Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities UK

Culture Risk averse Barriers posed by statutory regulation Surfeit of requirements often vague Disabled people are patients not colleagues Focus on what is wrong with people rather than what they can contribute

Impact of nursing as a profession Substantial work force Highly rated by the public Public services need to reflect full diversity of society Wealth of skills and personal experiences that can enrich the work Framework of competence and conduct Public still protected

Evidence of risk – fact or prejudice Review by UK Disability Rights Commission of high profile cases where patients harmed or killed No evidence regulation of mental or physical fitness would have prevented criminal acts but pointers to inadequate management Many standards not legitimate competence standards

What is the problem with existing competence standards? Do not determine whether someone is competent to practice in a profession eg ‘ to be of ‘good health’ and ‘good character’ Frequently lead to discriminatory attitudes, policies and practice Impact assessment will help to identify where this is happening Link with anti discrimination legislation and human rights act

Finding of Disability Rights Commission UK 2007 Generalised health standards encourage a diagnosis-led approach to the assessment of risk rather than individualised approach No useful function in predicting future conduct or competence or in assessing risk

Do specific disabilities pose a risk? People with mental health difficulties are excluded without assessment/support Outspoken prejudice drives people underground, making work more difficult without accommodations ‘honest students and staff are penalised, so the unsuitable candidates are not being identified’ Nurse with mental health history

Nurses with dyslexia might make mistakes Being expert in the accommodations you need means better prepared Good use of technology for checking drugs and dosages People with dyslexia know they have to check No cases of medical mistakes recorded as caused by dyslexia, stress, tiredness and lack of attention more likely causes

How to move forward Actively promote entry of disabled people into the profession through websites, literature, promotional events and careers services Monitor and research under represented groups and use impact assessments to identify where there are barriers Combat the perception that all disabled people are vulnerable receipients of care

How to move forward 2 Make it clear why information about disability is being collected, who will see it and what use it will be put to Create an inclusive culture: Where there are role models Mistakes made by disabled people are dealt with as they would be with any student and not automatically attributed to disability

Useful reading Into Nursing published by Skill Maintaining Standards: Promoting Equality, report of a UK Disability Rights Commission Formal Investigation

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