Community of Disabled and Neurodivergent Students in Nursing
Group description: The Community of Disabled & Neurodivergent Students in Nursing (CDNSN) was co-created by Kate Morse, Anna Dugie, and Marie-Ève Pomerleau as a place for disabled and neurodivergent students to find peer support, discuss relevant issues within the School of Nursing, advocate for one another, and work towards greater accessibility for all nursing students. We recognize the intersection of how other identities (gender, race, sexual orientation) impact the experiences of people with disabilities and/or neurodivergence. The group is open to students in all levels of the nursing program (undergraduate and graduate), prospective nursing students (from other programs, Transition Year Program, Practical Nursing program), as well as recent graduates. Our group includes but is not limited to those with physical disabilities, mental health conditions, persistent health conditions, learning disabilities, and anyone requiring accessibility solutions to be successful in the Nursing program and in the Nursing profession.
Rationale: CDNSN aims to provide our objectives outside of a hierarchical structure, so we don’t have a ‘leader’ and instead focus on mutual agreement/understanding in decision-making. We chose the name ‘Community of Disabled and Neurodivergent Students in Nursing’ to reflect our commitment to inclusivity of biological, neurological, and psychological conditions, and we do not wish to exclude anyone who feels they could benefit from community support.
Goal of the group: To provide services/supports to disabled and neurodivergent students in the nursing program at Dalhousie University.
Objectives of the group: We welcome and value new membership and ideas from other students. As a new group, we will continue to work on and update our objectives.
- Mentorship: To facilitate communication and support between nursing students with disabilities and/or neurodivergence across programs and cohorts.
- Academics: To provide a safe space for nursing students to discuss learning-related concerns or issues that negatively impact those with disabilities and/or neurodivergence, as well as strategies for academic success.
- Professional development: To discuss concerns related to licensing, registration, examination, and other practice related topics.
- Personal development: To provide a safe space for disabled and neurodivergent students to discuss or explore issues related to having disabilities and/or neurodivergence in the nursing profession, as well as advocating on behalf of each other.
- Community connection: To develop and foster strong connections and relationships within the School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, and other community stakeholders.
- Research: To have focused discussions on how to become more involved with research and scholarly activities (conferences, presentations, and publications).
Format: CDNSN meets on the first and third Wednesday of every month at 1300 on Microsoft Teams. The meetings are 1 hour in duration to focus on the meeting objectives; afterwards, members are welcome to remain on the call for general discussion. Additional meetings may be offered to meet students interests, needs, or concerns.
Alignment with the School of Nursing: The School of Nursing advances health and social justice by educating nurses to be leaders; generating, translating and applying nursing knowledge; and informing and influencing health-related public policy, practice and planning.
Contact: cdnsn.dal@outlook.com