Contributor: Meghann Buyco
Nursology.net Intern

As nurses, we are obligated to ensure that we practice according to our local jurisdictional college standards of practice and guidelines, as well as legislation. As such, we are to take responsibility for our professional learning and development to improve our own practice. We need to evaluate our competency through self-reflection along with feedback from colleagues, nurse supervisors and mentors, and patients/clients. This way, we not only gain new knowledge and skills but can also promote higher levels of understanding and improve situational awareness.

Self-reflection is even more paramount for nurses who have disabilities because of the additional limitations or adaptations one might need to make in order to practice. For me, I constantly face challenges associated with my disability, and I continuously engage in reflection and evaluation due to my visual impairment. Because of albinism, various treatments like eye surgery and the use of eyeglasses or contact lenses are not enough to have normal visual function, which impacts my nursing practice. Like many disabilities, there is no “cure” and one must be able to adapt to their circumstances.

This post was inspired by Justin McFail’s blog who engaged in reflections on self-care to also acknowledge nurses’ health and wellness. In this case, I attempt to consider Roy’s Adaptation Model, and situate the nurse as the “patient.” The Adaptation Model recognizes that individuals interact with a changing environment and sees health and illness as a continuum. The aim of nursing is to promote adaptation for individuals and groups in the four adaptive modes, which include physiological/physical; self-concept/group identity and culture; role function; and interdependence.

As a nurse, I constantly needed to consider what my challenges and limitations were as someone who lives with a disability and how that might impact my daily work as a nurse. This was most apparent when I was a nursing student and a novice nurse because I was navigating through learning new skills, engaging with a new environment, and situating myself in the role of a nurse. There was self-doubt and the doubts of others, questioning the idea of having a disability and being in a profession that is responsible for the lives of others. There were cautious considerations, balancing to “test” the extent of how my disability impacted my work while maintaining patient safety. Eventually, with open communication and support, I engaged in coping processes and adaptations were made such as always bringing a magnifying glass to work. I let my patients know that I may need to come a little closer to them in order to see, which is admittedly sometimes awkward in certain situations like inserting a urinary catheter.

There is a dynamic existence between individuals and the immediate and contextual environment. It is not just me that adapts, but so do people around me. As we engage in different situations and face new journeys, we are going to toggle to compensate and find ways to manage and adapt to be able to function.

About Meghann Buyco

My name is Meghann Buyco and I am from British Columbia, Canada. I am an intern for Nursology.net. I am in my first year of my PhD in Nursing at Trinity Western University. Clinically, I work in an outpatient cancer centre and long-term care facility. I work as a Project Coordinator for an international research on mothering, albinism, and human rights. My interest is in human rights, disabilities, health equity, and global health.