Investigation of Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Individuals With Disabilities

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of nurses toward individuals with disabilities. BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION: Individuals with disabilities face barriers in accessing health care. Nurses, as primary caregivers, are vital in providing equitable and quality care. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was completed with 234 nurses between November 2022 and October 2023. In this study, an introductory questionnaire for nurses and the Disability Attitudes in Health Care Scale were used. RESULTS: In the study, the mean total score of the scale, inclusion, and burden subscales were 59.2 ± 6.3, 24.5 ± 3.3, and 34.6 ± 4.4, respectively. It was found that nurses who were university graduates, single, had more income than expenses, and were younger had more positive attitudes toward disabled individuals. The total scale scores of the nurses who worked in the clinics as staff nurses, who had been working in the hospital for less than ten years, and who worked the day shift and night shift were found to be statistically significantly higher. The mean total scale scores of the nurses who wanted to receive training on disability were statistically significant. DISCUSSION: Younger and less experienced nurses exhibited more positive disability attitudes, suggesting that early educational interventions could further strengthen their supportive behaviors. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight nurses' attitudes toward disabled individuals were moderate and positive. It is thought that training for nurses toward disabled individuals will improve nurses' attitudes toward disabled individuals positively. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The study highlights the need to include disability education in nursing curricula and training. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: The study highlights that supportive policies and awareness programs can strengthen positive attitudes for nurses and improve care quality for disabled individuals.