Registered nurses who consider themselves to be physically disabled were interviewed regarding their experiences. Nurses who interview other nurses for hire were also interviewed. Participants were gathered from Virginia, Maryland, and Maine. Data collection and analysis were conducted using a qualitative methodology. Findings indicated that nurses with physical disabilities are leaving the workplace, and employers are not typically making accommodations to permit nurses to work safely and effectively in the patient‐care setting. Nurses often hide their disabilities because they fear being rejected for employment and being stigmatized by colleagues. Rehabilitation nurses are in an ideal position to lead the way to reduce discrimination against nurses with disabilities. Many themes emerged from the study and are discussed in this article.
A recent qualitative study revealed that registered nurses with physical disabilities experience discrimination in the workplace and frequently leave their jobs and the profession. In light of these findings, it is vital that nursing faculty begin to inculcate students with an appreciation for collegial support before they enter the workplace as registered nurses. The familiar refrain "nurses eat their young" is apparently also true of nurses who have physical limitations. This article will discuss the findings from a qualitative study and offer recommendations for how nurse educators can educate students to help prevent the loss of nurses with disabilities from the profession.
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