Work place issues surrounding healthcare professionals with disabilities in the current labor market.
Healthcare professionals, nurses with and without disabilities, administrators and personnel directors were surveyed to explore hiring practices and attitudes towards working with nurses with disabilities employed in clinical settings. Specifically the purpose of the study was to gather and analyze data regarding the perceptions of two groups towards nurses with disabilities: 1) employers and 2) other nurses (with and without a disability). The study defined a nurse with a disability as an RN who has an activity limitation, specifically an altered activity capability which limits mobility, ambulation, strength, coordination, or equilibrium. Findings suggest that nurses are more likely to be willing to work with an RN with a disability if they had worked with one in the past. However, overall acceptance of RNs with disabilities was not broad.
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6122, USA. LGKontosh@mail.WVU.Edu
Larry G
LG
Kontosh
Ina
I
Fletcher
Michael
M
Frain
Jill
J
Winland-Brown
D001107:Architectural Accessibility; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D010559:Personnel Management