Assessment of nursing students' perceptions of professional competencies in providing medical care to patients with intellectual disabilities: An international pilot study of students from the Czech Republic and Poland

Background: Individuals with intellectual disabilities experience inequalities in healthcare. Aim: In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to analyse the perceived professional competencies of nursing students from two countries: the Czech Republic and Poland in relation to providing medical care for patients with intellectual disabilities. Methods: Two closed self-report questionnaires were used to examine the relationships between students' competency, their attitudes toward keeping a social distance from individuals with intellectual disabilities in healthcare, and their participation in training related to this issue. The sample consisted of 208 nursing students from two countries: the Czech Republic and Poland. Results: Relationships were observed between students' self-assessed competencies and their social distance. Additionally, training in the field of care and treatment of individuals with intellectual disabilities played a differing role. Conclusion: The findings highlight the complexity of developing nursing competencies in providing medical care for patients with intellectual disabilities. They suggest the need for tailored, context-sensitive training programs, ongoing research to uncover additional influencing factors, and a supportive educational environment that encourages honest dialogue and self-assessment.