Exploring the Curriculum Needs and Expectations of School Health Nurses as Disability Educators in Ghana: A Focus Group Study

Background/Introduction School Health Nurses in Ghana comprise various levels of community health nurses and public health nurses who perform other tasks in preventive, promotive, primary care and referral services in the community, including health education for students in public schools. The current barriers and disparities faced by people with disabilities in Ghana, alongside the recommendations to use community engagement and sensitisation to address these issues effectively, make it imperative to train school health nurses as disability educators. This study examined the curriculum needs and expectations of school health nurses to inform the development of an appropriate training programme to enable them to function as disability educators. Methods In this qualitative study using a constructivist paradigm, school health nurses stationed at four health institutions in the Accra Metropolis of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana were recruited by purposive sampling and six focus groups were conducted. The transcripts were analysed by thematic analysis Results Three themes, with subthemes, emerged regarding the needs and expectations of school health nurses relating to a curriculum for disability educators. These were 1) Curriculum content and delivery (comprising Disability knowledge acquisition, Variety in educational resources, Comprehensive non-punitive assessment approach, Variable and negotiable options in timing, scheduling, and duration); 2) Educational Environment and Experience (comprising Skill Development, Emphasis on a Learner-Centred Approach in Teaching Strategies, Diversity in Learning Environment, employing Diverse Educators Who Embrace Humanistic Teaching Methods, Affordability, Responsibility and Support from Stakeholders). Then lastly, 3) Professional Development (focused on Attitudinal Transformation, Acknowledgement, and Recognition). Conclusion The findings indicated that school health nurses needed a competency-based curriculum tailored to overcome barriers to participation, ensure effective inclusive engagement, achieve all intended learning outcomes, and support their career development. Based on our findings, we recommend developing a curriculum that incorporates all necessary elements for school health nurses to be trained as disability educators, enabling them to address the barriers and disparities faced by people with disabilities in Ghana. Additionally, this training would support these healthcare workers in improving their communication, understanding, and attitudes towards people with disabilities, enhancing their support during interactions in the community.