Abstract
In the pursuit of global health equity, ensuring equal access to the nursing profession for students with disabilities is essential. Despite progress in disability inclusion in medical education, foundational data on disabled nursing students remains scarce. This study, completed by Access in Nursing, addresses this gap by quantifying disability prevalence and accommodations among students in U.S. traditional prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Through a cross-sectional design, national data were collected between April and July 2024 from 19 nursing programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Through adapted questionnaires, data were gathered on disability prevalence, types, and accommodations used, alongside program characteristics. Results show a disability prevalence of 8.8% across nursing students, notably higher than in medical programs (5.9%), with psychological disabilities and ADHD as the most reported categories. Testing accommodations were universally provided, while clinical accommodations were less accessible.
This study identified a need to prioritize future research in the areas of accommodation efficacy and student support for the most prevalent disclosed disabilities in addition to understanding the perceived and actual barriers for less prevalent disclosed disabilities such as mobility and sensory disabilities. Identifying and removing barriers will support equitable access to healthcare education opportunities and lead to a more diverse nursing workforce. This initial prevalence data serves as an initial benchmark against which the advancement of health equity can be measured while providing methodological foundations for future national and global data collection.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Phi Gamma (Virtual)
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Workforce, Global Health Issues, Ethics, Nursing Students with Disabilities, Disabled Nursing Students
Recommended Citation
Cameron, Vanessa Kay; Jackson, Brandy; Meeks, Lisa M.; Jamal-Eddine, Sabrina Ali; Bandell, Jaclyn M.; Valdez, Anna Maria; Kunte, Vera; and Morrow, Linda, "Disability Prevalence and Accommodation in US BSN Programs: Equity in Nursing Education" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 88.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/88
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-26
Disability Prevalence and Accommodation in US BSN Programs: Equity in Nursing Education
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
In the pursuit of global health equity, ensuring equal access to the nursing profession for students with disabilities is essential. Despite progress in disability inclusion in medical education, foundational data on disabled nursing students remains scarce. This study, completed by Access in Nursing, addresses this gap by quantifying disability prevalence and accommodations among students in U.S. traditional prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Through a cross-sectional design, national data were collected between April and July 2024 from 19 nursing programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Through adapted questionnaires, data were gathered on disability prevalence, types, and accommodations used, alongside program characteristics. Results show a disability prevalence of 8.8% across nursing students, notably higher than in medical programs (5.9%), with psychological disabilities and ADHD as the most reported categories. Testing accommodations were universally provided, while clinical accommodations were less accessible.
This study identified a need to prioritize future research in the areas of accommodation efficacy and student support for the most prevalent disclosed disabilities in addition to understanding the perceived and actual barriers for less prevalent disclosed disabilities such as mobility and sensory disabilities. Identifying and removing barriers will support equitable access to healthcare education opportunities and lead to a more diverse nursing workforce. This initial prevalence data serves as an initial benchmark against which the advancement of health equity can be measured while providing methodological foundations for future national and global data collection.
Description
Ensuring equal access to the nursing profession for students with disabilities is essential for global health equity. This study quantifies disability prevalence and accommodations in U.S. prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs, finding a prevalence of 8.8% with psychological disabilities and ADHD most common. This work identifies future research focus areas and sets benchmarks for tracking progress in health equity and fostering a more inclusive nursing workforce.