Article discusses how to support nurses with disabilities

Health care systems should design spaces with enough room for wheelchairs and invest in ramps and adjustable chairs to accommodate nurses with disabilities, according to Sabrina Jamal-Eddine, PhD, RN, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Illinois Chicago. She says accommodating disabled nurses will build in accessibility for disabled patients, too. Jamal-Eddine spoke as part of a panel on disability advocacy in nursing at the DNPs of Color annual conference in Philadelphia. Panelists said increasing disability education for health care professionals could change perspectives and reduce biases against patients with disabilities. Panelists also urged employers to consider offering accommodations for technical requirements of lifting 25 pounds, navigating confined spaces and standing for extended periods to enable nurses with disabilities to enter the workforce more easily. (Clinical Advisor article, 12/16/24)