Kathleen Markey

Health of ageing people with intellectual disability and the role of the nurse in Ireland

The number of people with intellectual disability living into old age continues to increase. As one ages, generally, functional ability decreases and health issues increase, with recognising and responding to the health needs of the person with intellectual disability of great importance and the responsibility of the intellectual disability nurse. The nurse must review and adjust the way they deliver care to ageing people with intellectual disability, not only in terms of responding to their health needs but also through collaborative working within teams and other services. As Ireland has specifically trained nurses in intellectual disability, it has a prime opportunity to address the health needs and concerns of people with intdisability and actively advocate for how services develop and responds to the changing health needs of ageing people with intellectual disability.

Strategies to surmount the potential barriers to providing anti-discriminatory care in Irish healthcare settings

Abstract Aim: This article aims to explore some of the potential Irish specific barriers to providing anti-discriminatory care to non-Irish nationals in health and social care settings and considers strategies to overcome them. Background: There has been a rapid and unprecedented increase in the ethnic and cultural diversity of the population in Ireland over the past 10 years. This brings with it both opportunities and challenges. The challenges that are particularly poignant include Irish nationals adapting to a multicultural society and integrating migrants into mainstream society. Historically, Ireland’s relative homogeneity as a nation has been reflected in their health services, suggesting the need for an approach that addresses the more diverse needs of their growing multicultural population. Conclusion: Increasing awareness in the Irish health care setting of the complexity of working transculturally is important to interrogate the concept of privilege and the presence of racist practices. Unless practitioners are consciously aware of the personal, social and professional values that inform their attitudes and practices, their ability to be culturally competent will be at best superficial. The need to challenge attitudes, deep rooted social behaviour and misinformation which underline racial hostility is essential. Attention should focus on creating an environment of trust where critical reflection occurs, blame is avoided, risk managed and new ideas developed, tested and evaluated.

Resigned Indifference: The importance of Cultural Competent Education

This paper presents the findings of a PhD study, which explored how nurses’ deal with their main concern when caring for patients from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Utilising theoretical sampling and the principles of a grounded theory approach, focus groups (n-10) and individual face-to-face interviews (n-30) were conducted with student and qualified nurses, in one region of Ireland. As data were collected, it was simultaneously analysed using constant comparative analysis during open, selective and theoretical coding. Uncertainty was the consistent main concern that emerged for participants in this study. Feelings of ambiguity of how to act were further influenced by a lack of knowledge, an awareness of potential ethnocentric beliefs and the culture of the organisation in which participants learn and work in. Resigned indifference explains how participants in this study dealt with their uncertainty when caring for patients from diverse cultures. It explains how participants adopted a range of disengagement strategies. Instead of doing what they sometimes knew to be right, participants adopted a range of disengagement strategies which were underpinned by a resigned indifference. The culture within the organisation allowed the disengagement strategies and indifference to also go un-noticed. As a result culturally insensitive care went unchallenged, often un-noticed and subsequently unchanged. The discomfort associated with providing culturally insensitive care was eased with shifting the blame to professional preparation or organisational constraints. As a consequence culturally insensitive care is sustained and perpetuated. This paper highlights the need for imaginative learning and teaching approaches that will replace uncertainty with curiosity and resilience, apathy with courage and commitment both at individual and organisational levels.

Irish Nursing Students Perceptions of a Technology Enhanced Blended Approach to Teaching and Learning

Health informatics is becoming increasingly importa nt for healthcare professionals and strategies to promote health informatics development are becom ing increasingly popular in undergraduate professional programmes. With this in mind, a blend ed or hybrid learning approach was piloted with an undergraduate BSc nursing module in the uni versity. The aim of this pilot was to design, develop, implement and evaluate the students’ perce iv d reactions to learning, teaching and assessment incorporating several online components. B lended learning is the combination of multiple approaches to learning such as a combination of technology-based materials and face-to-face sessions used together to deliver instruction. A br anded version of Sakai (the university’s Learning Management System [LMS]) was used. The students interacted with the system on a weekly basis and their perceptions were codified with the aid of an online questionnaire based on the preferred COLLES format. Additionally, a touch screen based recording suite was availed of permitting the students to record themselves performing a task and later review the footage. The initial findings appear to provide a positive outlook towar ds the use of technology within the course and the potential for further expansion in the near fut ure.