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The real risk is doing nothing Innovative
practices developed to support nursing and
midwifery students with a disability in clinical
practice

• P. Halligan F. Howlin (UCD)
• M. Quirke A. Heelan (AHEAD)

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Introduction
UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery Health
Systems Nursing Midwifery programmes Clinical
partners sites 90 clinical sites Clinical
Assessment Subcommittee (CASC)
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Students with Disabilities

• 1 18 students have registered
• Students may have more than 1 disability
• Dyslexia is most common registered disability
• 2009 39 registered students
• 2010 increased by 10

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Development of Innovative Practices

• Aim
• To extend supports to encompass clinical
  placements, using a collaborative and partnership
  approach, with key stakeholders, who support the
  students while on clinical placements
• Objectives
• To explore the literature and identify
  international best practice
• To identify the needs of key support staff
• To develop appropriate, effective, and practical
  support systems
• To identify pathways for future development

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The Process
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Literature Review Consultation

• Irish context
• Disclosure
• Competence Fitness to Practise
• Legislation
• Reasonable accommodations or supports
• Regulatory requirements and disability
  legislation
• Further research
• Consultation

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Identifying and Assessing Needs

• Outcomes

• Scoping workshop collaboration

• Clinical staff
• Academic staff
• Administration
• Occupation health
• Human Resource management
• Access Centre/AHEAD
• HSE

• Written guidelines
• All disabilities
• Access to registered students
• Patient safety fitness to practise
• Resources
• Symposium

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Establish Support Systems Processes

• Support systems/processes

• Outcomes

• Consent form
• Increased awareness
• legislation
• disclosure
• disabilities
• competence fitness to practice
• reasonable accommodations
• Guidelines ?Resource Guide
• Clinical needs assessment
• Student support group

• Information Letter
• Consent form
• Symposium
• Legislation
• Equality
• Draft of guidelines
• Consultation
• Student focus group
• Conference

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To Identify pathways future development

• Clinical Needs Assessment
• Guidelines
• Disability Liaison Officer (DLO)
• Staff training and awareness
• Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) project
• Student national support group
• Support, monitor, evaluate student and staff
  experiences
• Establish International links
• Publications

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The real risk is doing nothing

• Thanks to our contributors, colleagues and
  students
• Organisations AHEAD and Access Centre
• Further information
• Phil Halligan 01 7166420
• phil.halligan_at_ucd.ie
• Frances Howlin 01 7166563
• frances.howlin_at_ucd.ie