Dear School of Nursing Community,
I write today to mark the month-long celebration of Disability Pride and the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disability Act (also known as ADA Day).
Enacted in 1990, the ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the public sphere. This includes employment, schools, transportation, and public and private places open to the general public. The goal of the ADA is to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities in this country as those without disabilities.
When I think about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion at IHP and in nursing, I find myself constantly asking, “Who is not at the table?” ADA Day and Disability Pride month provide a unique moment for us to pause and reflect on how nursing has or has not welcomed those with disabilities to the table.
While the American Community Survey reports that more than 12% of Americans have a disability, we do not see this same representation in our nursing workforce. Nursing is often viewed as a field that requires significant physical abilities and while that may be true for some nursing environments, it is not true for all of them.
We know that patient care is most effective when the diversity of our nursing workforce is representative of the patients we care for. With technological advancements, workplace accommodations, and a greater understanding of all that a nurse can do, our profession is uniquely positioned to increase the number of nurses with a range of disabilities caring for patients. As nurse educators, it is up to us to ensure that our curriculum is inclusive and our learning environments are accessible and welcoming to all students, especially those with a wide range of disabilities.
Dr. Ken White
Dean and Professor
School of Nursing