In this article, we share our experience of making our center in Nizhnevartovsk more accessible for patients with disabilities.
Russia has a national program called “Accessible Environment,” approved by Government Resolution No. 363 on March 29, 2019.
Like other dialysis centers, we care for patients with different accessibility needs, including people who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, and people with limited mobility.
“To make access to treatment and communication with our staff as easy as possible for these patients, we reached out to local disability organizations in Nizhnevartovsk. We worked with Svetlana Angelovna Gorbacheva, Chair of the Nizhnevartovsk City Society of the Blind, and Stanislav Viktorovich Lazurko, Chair of the Khanty-Mansiysk branch of the All-Russian Society of the Deaf,” says Margarita Nikolaevna Yudina, Head of the center.
The main goal was to train our staff to provide appropriate assistance in different situations, taking into account the specific needs of people with disabilities, including those with hearing or visual impairments, wheelchair users, and people with mobility or intellectual disabilities.
The center’s staff — including the Head, administrator, nursing assistants, and nurses — practiced communicating with and assisting patients with different needs through a series of situations presented by a training committee. The sessions were also recorded on video so that they could be used to train and brief new members of staff in the future.
For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, being able to see the staff member’s face and facial expressions is important. Staff should avoid covering their mouth with their hand and, where appropriate, remove their mask so that patients can read their lips and follow their facial expressions.
Other communication options include using a phone, making a video call with a sign language interpreter, or typing messages on a screen. Specialized apps can also be useful. Staff were also introduced to a basic set of sign language gestures.
For people with visual impairments, it is important to introduce yourself when meeting them, explain what you are doing, offer support when walking, and guide them safely around the center. The main patient areas, including the changing rooms and restroom, are equipped with signs in Braille.
Our staff took part in the training with great interest and enthusiasm. Since completing the training, the center has continued working to meet accessibility requirements and make the center more welcoming and comfortable for people with disabilities.
