Nursing the physically disabled in a general hospital ward

Summary• Progress in medical treatment over the last three decades has meant that many more people survive either traumatic birth situations or diseases/injuries which would have previously resulted in death, and are leading normal lives with some form of physical disability. • Until quite recently, little attention has been given to their longer‐term health needs. The following article looks at the attitudes of nurses towards physically disabled patients, the experiences and attitudes of these patients, the interaction between nurse and patient, practical outcomes and future directions. • Literature on this subject is not extensive. More empirical research is required focusing on the impact of admission of such people on general hospital ward functioning, the experiences/insights of nursing staff caring for them and the reaction and comments of physically disabled patients.