Healthcare Disability Awareness Training
Scope of the Training:
Niagara University Disability Awareness Training (NU DAT) has tailored a presentation for healthcare/hospital personnel who have duties and responsibilities in the workplace. It brings together education on disabilities while enhancing sensitivity.
The presentation includes etiquette and interaction skills, the perspective of the disability community, definitions, accessibility/universal design, understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and current trends and topics.
The types of activities or strategies that will be utilized include:
• Defining accommodations
• Understanding characteristics of disabilities
• Utilization of the vast network of supports
• Current legislation
• Extensive resources
• How to review accessibility
• Identification of subject matter experts
• And the latest initiatives per topic area
How Initiative Relates to Healthcare, Compliance and Positive Community Relations, and Response to Individual’s Needs:
The ability to respond appropriately has challenges that can be overlooked, disregarded, or ignored.
Direct, positive interaction and understanding are imperative to the healthcare profession, but oftentimes not considered relative to the adaptation necessary to address particular needs and circumstances.
The ultimate goal is the ability to understand Quality of Life relative to individuals with disabilities, oftentimes compromised in settings that call for a unique interaction or perspective. The training will address every area of response to individuals with disabilities including, but not limited to, characteristics, challenges faced and how to overcome them, federal guidelines (to include the ADA), and service providers roles and responsibilities.
Course Ideas/Content:
• Introduction to disabilities and their prevalence
• Disabilities defined specific to medical services
• Service provision and supports and how to develop collaborative relationships
• Challenging behaviors and responsiveness
• Service animals
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Accessibility/universal design
• Community resources and networks
• American Sign Language (ASL)
• Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Durable Medical Equipment (DME)
• Proper etiquette and interaction skills
Learner Outcomes:
Attendees will learn about the disabilities that they encounter most frequently.
Information and facts on what happens when we lack awareness and the potential for sour public relations and lawsuits will be addressed.
Attendees will be able to better understand a diverse community, individual needs, how to implement techniques and accommodations in the workplace, and accessibility/universal design in home settings.
Hospital/Healthcare Personnel Training
Objective: At the completion of this training, the hospital/healthcare personnel will have a better understanding of disabilities and how they manifest and present, be better able to identify upon initial interaction, understand etiquette and interaction skills, proper response per specific disability to include challenging scenarios, the perspective of the disability community, and the role of supports.
l. Disability Awareness Training – explain the concept and its significance to hospital personnel
A. SENSTIVITY – allows for attendees to see where sensitivity lacks in response to people with disabilities
B. DISCRIMINATION relative to individuals with disabilities
C. INCIDENTS HIGHLIGHTED – show where hospital/healthcare personnel have erred in proper response
II. Disabilities Defined, Comorbidity – explain and detail
A. LOW VISION/BLIND – describe to include video(s)
1. Definition – explain to include slides
2. Escorting – describe proper way
3. Encounters – explain proper interaction and expected way to intervene and treat
B. HARD OF HEARING/DEAF – describe to include video(s)
1. Culture – explain the deaf community and their expectations
2. Definition – explain to include video(s)
3. Sign language – introduce to include ways to access
a. Basic, provide American Sign Language (ASL)
b. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines
c. Video Relay Interpreter (VRI)
4. Encounters – explain how to interact
a. Assistance – describe proper ways
C. INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY – describe to include video(s)
1. Definition – explain to include video
2. Approach/identification – techniques to identify and proper interaction
D. MENTAL ILLNESS/EMOTIONAL DISABILITY – complete breakdown across
the MI spectrum to include video.
1. Definitions – explain to include slides
2. Most common encounters – describe and explain how to interact
3. Hospital personnel – role and expectation explained
4. Stigma
5. Medical “Look-Alikes” of Mental Illness
a. Indicators of Mental Illness
6. Intervening with Persons with Mental Illness
7. Actions to avoid
E. EPILEPSY/SEIZURE DISORDER – define seizure activity beyond tonic-clonic
F. AUTISM – defined and broken down to include video
1. Escape – recognize a possible behavior is flight
a. Water – attraction to water may be high
b. Return programs – established ways to ensure quick identification
2. Sensory impairment – understand autism in the context of sensory challenges in response
3. Behavior – identify early warning signs and proper response
4. Spectrum disorder – describe the spectrum of autism
G. PHYSICAL DISABILITIES – describe and recognize proper response and interaction to include individuals who use wheelchairs
1. Cerebral palsy – understanding of the disability and how it presents
2. Muscular Dystrophy – understanding of the disability and how it presents
3. Spinal Cord Injury – explain rate of occurrence and describe
4. Other – to include ALS, Spina Bifida, stroke
H. TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
1. OSU Identification form
2. DOH Brain injury handout
III. Victimization/Abuse – explain its prevalence and proper response in the context of the state regulation and law to include current issues
A. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
1. Referrals out
B. REPORTING PROCEDURES
1. New York State Justice Center
IV. Service providers – describe their role, purpose and responsibility with hospital staff
A. PROGRAM MODELS – describe the various programs that exist
1. Residences – describe the various models and how they operate
2. Day programs – same as above
B. STAFFING – define role
C. INFORMATION SHARING
1. Medication Administration forms
2. Tracking sheets
3. Emergency information sheets
V. Person first language – explain the concept and how it is imperative in interaction skills
VI. Communication disorders – describe disorders to include video(s)
A. DYSARTHRIA
B. APHASIA
C. APRAXIA
D. COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES – explain the various forms to include video(s)
VII. Durable Medical Equipment – describe DME and its importance
A. DME VIDEO on wheelchair operations
VIII. Service animals – understand procedures, interactions, and laws
IX. Assistive technology/adaptive equipment – describe how it works and see what it is
X. Accessibility/Universal Design – define what this is to include ADA guidelines
A. SIGNAGE
XI. Administrative role – explain the role and responsibility of administration
A. ADA COMPLIANCE OFFICER – explain and understand the role
XII. Committee/Advisory Council on Disabilities – explain purpose and introduction on how to start one
XIII. Niagara University – provide introduction to the ongoing role the university will play in assisting
healthcare professionals
A. WEBSITE – introduce and walk through
B. RESOURCES – explain how to obtain