by M.J. Schmitt
On April 10-11, I was privileged to represent ACB at a symposium entitled "Students with Disabilities: Nursing Education and Practice." It was planned and sponsored by Rush University College of Nursing in Chicago.
This day-and-a-half seminar was attended by a genuinely august body, including professionals from the nursing community as well as people with whom we are far more familiar from the disabled community: for example, Andy Imparato, president and chief executive officer, American Association of People with Disabilities; Robert Silverstein, Director, Center for Study and Advancement of Disability Policy; Karen Wolffe and her assistant from the American Foundation for the Blind's Careers and Technology Center; Marca Bristow, president and chief executive officer of Access Living; David K. Hanson, Commissioner, Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities; and our own Illinois Council of the Blind president, Ray Campbell.
A personal high point of the conference for me was the panel of nursing students and graduates with disabilities whose presentation followed the keynote address by Marca Bristow. It was inspiring to listen to the real-life stories of nursing students who refuse to let their disabilities get in the way of their passion for succeeding in the health care profession. Two members of the nursing student panel have completed their education and are employed; one is obtaining her Ph.D., and another has graduated from Loyola University and is seeking employment. The theme that emerged from the panel presentation and which remained prevalent throughout the conference was that nursing involves much more than just direct patient care. In instances where a nurse is required to provide direct care, sharing responsibilities with other nursing professionals and making use of state-of-the-art technology can allow a nurse with a disability to provide the same standard of care as his or her peers. The panel presentations were nothing short of terrific, and their enthusiasm was contagious.
Other conference presentations on pertinent subjects included legal accommodations, educational curricula, employment and regulations, licensure and policy.
On Friday morning, we rolled up our collective sleeves and divided into three break-out groups, as follows: employment, education and regulations, and licensure and policy. I participated in the employment group's discussions, and I understand that group no. 3, which dealt with many important issues concerning certification and policy, held by far the most animated discussions.
During the conference wrap-up, the overall consensus seemed to be that this topic was one whose time has finally come. The underlying concern expressed by virtually every participant was for safety, not only for patients, but also for nurses and medical professionals as well. Many expressed the hope that some group will find a way to continue formal discussions of the issues which the conference had raised. It just wasn't possible to explore some of the topics which had been raised with the kind of depth that all of the participants wished.
It's just about time that I told you about my friend Karen McCulloh, a Chicago-based registered nurse whose disability was discovered 30 years ago and who has been visually impaired for the past 15 years. When Karen was unable to obtain employment or to receive cooperation from her professional peers, she started her own business because she was determined to work in her chosen field. Since 1990, she has worked in the area of professional development and implementation for state and non-profit organizations, providing in-service educational seminars for departments of nursing, among other clients.
During the evening of April 10, the National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities was formed, with Karen as its president. At this point, the organization is still in its infancy and not yet ready to accept applications for membership, but it soon will be. Its executive committee is comprised totally of nurses with disabilities, and the remainder of its board is made up of outstanding personnel both from the medical and disability communities.
If you are a nurse, or if you are interested in entering that profession, you should know that this association is interested in getting to know you. You can contact Karen McCulloh either by phone, (847) 583-8569, or via e-mail, [email protected].
In summary, I came away from the conference with a feeling of guarded optimism about the future for nurses with disabilities. While there were certainly some nay-sayers among conference participants, including those responsible for certification and licensure standards, at least they were there, I trust, to learn and, despite their quiet skepticism, they were exposed to the tremendous enthusiasm and hope supported by facts which came out of this conference. Will there be enough interest to hold future conferences? I, and so many others, certainly hope so.