Nurse Educator Attitudes Toward People With Disabilities

Nurs Educ Perspect. 2018 May/Jun;39(3):151-155. doi: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000282.

Abstract

Aim: As educators strongly influence the attitudes of their students, the purpose of this study was to determine nurse educator attitudes toward people with disabilities.

Background: Inadequate education of health professionals is a known barrier to care for people with disability. Continuing calls for improved education of health professionals compel an assessment of nurse educator attitudes.

Method: This was a cross-sectional, correlational web-based survey of nurse educators (n = 126). Nurse educator attitudes were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis.

Results: Nurse educators held discriminatory attitudes toward people with disabilities, though most preferred a biopsychosocial model of disability. Forty-four percent lacked knowledge of disability-related aims, objectives, or outcomes within the curriculum.

Conclusion: To advance equity in health care, nurse educators must confront personal bias and teach competent care of people with disabilities.

MeSH terms

  • Attitude
  • Attitude of Health Personnel*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Curriculum
  • Disabled Persons*
  • Faculty, Nursing*
  • Humans