Disability, Disadvantage, Vulnerability & Stigma

This module focused on identifying disabled groups that were disadvantaged and how they had difficulty accessing equitable health care. There are several types of disabilities that can be classified into physical, intellectual, hearing impairment, vision impairment, and mental disability. I understand a disability to be a limitation on a person’s physical or mental functioning. People that have a disability are often wrongly seen as objects of pity whereby their disability is seen as a burden on society. However, this module has shown how recent government and community initiatives have tried to rectify this stigma and assist the disabled community to get equity in the health care system.

The module also went through useful tips on how a nurse should handle disable patients. For example, for a patient that is hearing impaired it is important to face the person when speaking, speak clearly at a moderate pace, optimise lighting, do not exaggerate words, and check for understanding. As communication is vital within health care, it is important to understand how to communicate with a disabled person so that they understand what is happening and can make well-informed decisions.

As a registered nurse it would be important to understand the difficulties and vulnerability that is experienced by disabled people so that I have a holistic approach to my care for the patient. As patients that I would be handling may have a disability to some degree, I would need to understand how to deal with the person so that they don’t feel disadvantaged or stereotyped. Most importantly, as vulnerability is a “socially constructed phenomenon…created not by the individual’s personal qualities but by the world they inhibit” (Heaslip & Ryden, 2013), it is often the role of the nurse to ensure that they are not viewed that way and that they don’t feel vulnerable to society.

Word count: 303

References:
Heaslip, V. & Ryden, J. (2013). Understanding Vulnerability: A Nursing and Healthcare Approach. UK: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.au/books?id=LylEgcaPaMUC&pg=PA1935&dq=disability+and+vulnerability+health+care&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiR7rmE_NXKAhUG32MKHVraAbc4ChDoAQheMAg#v=onepage&q=disability%20and%20vulnerability%20health%20care&f=false