Does volunteering change attitudes towards people with disabilities? A qualitative study of the experience of orthodox Jewish nursing students

Background: People with disabilities identify negative staff attitudes and behaviors as barriers to accessing health services. Studies show that nursing education activities specific to people with disabilities improves nursing care. This study explores the experience of orthodox Jewish nursing students volunteering with people with disabilities, how their attitudes towards this population changed. Design: A qualitative design was used. This research is part of an extensive ongoing study of orthodox and ultraorthodox (Haredi) students volunteering with people with disabilities. Methods: Data from 13 semi-structured interviews, conducted between July and September 2017, with 14 male students (two students chose to be interviewed together) and four people with disabilities were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Volunteering enhanced students' awareness of the needs of people with disabilities, changed their attitude towards this population and enhanced their confidence as nurses. The individuals with disabilities valued the help they received as well as the opportunity to change the students' prior notions and stigmas regarding disability. Conclusions: Projects such as ours could improve the attitude of nursing staff towards individuals with disabilities and improve nursing care. We recommend involving people with disabilities in designing such projects.