Inclusivity: Educational Experiences of Registered Nurses With Physical Disabilities.

AIM: The aim of the study was to describe registered nurses' prelicensure educational experience as nursing students with physical disabilities.

BACKGROUND

Social and academic support help establish connections with the educational environment, but efforts to engage students with disabilities are inconsistent. Faculty support beyond required accommodations facilitates a sense of empowerment. Communities in academic settings for minority groups significantly increase the likelihood of academic success due to information-related social capital and social support.

METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design with semistructured interviews of 16 individuals with 14 different physical disabilities was used for this study. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged: 1) I saved my energy for learning; 2) I was determined; 3) wanting to find my people; and 4) secrets, living a double life, with subtheme fear of judgment.

CONCLUSION

Identification of factors related to inclusion within the academic environment provides insight for improving the experiences of prelicensure nursing students with physical disabilities.