[NYNursingHopeful]

Hi,

I am currently considering a change of careers into nursing, and applying to BSN/MS programs with a goal of ending up a Family Nurse Practitioner. I’m excited about the possibilities that following this path would offer.. but also a bit concerned about my ability to do the job effectively.

I am a Dyslexic, with pretty significant difficulty in handwriting, spelling, and sometimes with deciphering other peoples messy script. By and large I function well by using adaptive strategies to compensate for my weaknesses (especially by using computers). But I don’t really know how possible this will be in a patient care environment.

It isn’t really the coursework that I’m worried about, or maybe I should say I’m no more worried then everyone is when they think of the work and challenges of such demanding programs. I have done well in collage, and have significant graduate experience already outside of nursing. I know what I need to do to get through classes, I’ve been doing it all my life. Also, the Americans with disabilities act guarantees that accredited collages make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.

My real concern is with where I’m going to find myself after I graduate.

Are there any other nurses out there with learning disabilities. Nurse Practitioners? If so what has your experience been like? What difficulties have you found and what do you do to enable yourself to Nurse effectively.

For nurses without learning disabilities, how often do you need to produce hand written documentation in the course of your work? Could you use a computer instead if you needed to? How large a specialized vocabulary do you work with day to day, would a spelling “cheat sheet” be possible? Are there certain specialties in which I’m more likely to be able to work in the ways I need to?

I was surprised that I could not really find information on this subject online (nowadays I figure you can get info on just about anything with google) Luckily I did stumble on this little community, and I’m hoping some of you can help me out.

Thanks

[gr8rnpjt]

Originally Posted by NYNursingHopeful

Hi,

I am currently considering a change of careers into nursing, and applying to BSN/MS programs with a goal of ending up a Family Nurse Practitioner. I’m excited about the possibilities that following this path would offer.. but also a bit concerned about my ability to do the job effectively.

I am a Dyslexic, with pretty significant difficulty in handwriting, spelling, and sometimes with deciphering other peoples messy script. By and large I function well by using adaptive strategies to compensate for my weaknesses (especially by using computers). But I don’t really know how possible this will be in a patient care environment.

It isn’t really the coursework that I’m worried about, or maybe I should say I’m no more worried then everyone is when they think of the work and challenges of such demanding programs. I have done well in collage, and have significant graduate experience already outside of nursing. I know what I need to do to get through classes, I’ve been doing it all my life. Also, the Americans with disabilities act guarantees that accredited collages make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.

My real concern is with where I’m going to find myself after I graduate.

Are there any other nurses out there with learning disabilities. Nurse Practitioners? If so what has your experience been like? What difficulties have you found and what do you do to enable yourself to Nurse effectively.

For nurses without learning disabilities, how often do you need to produce hand written documentation in the course of your work? Could you use a computer instead if you needed to? How large a specialized vocabulary do you work with day to day, would a spelling “cheat sheet” be possible? Are there certain specialties in which I’m more likely to be able to work in the ways I need to?

I was surprised that I could not really find information on this subject online (nowadays I figure you can get info on just about anything with google) Luckily I did stumble on this little community, and I’m hoping some of you can help me out.

Thanks

NYNursingHopeful,
Hi. congratulations on your carreer choice and welcome. I had ADD when I was going through school. When I entered nursing school I initially had a lot of problems with study habits and tests. I flunked out the first semester because I was really unprepared for such concentrated study and never had developed good study habits in primary and secondary school. But this was something that I had always wanted to do, so after a couple of months I called the school and requested to come back with the next group of freshmen. (I was in a diploma program). They did invite me back because I had done well on my nursing pretests and was well liked by students and faculty. When I came back I met with one of my previous classmates and she helped me develop good study habits. It worked like a charm and I never had a failing grade, mostly a's and b's.
That being said, you already have a good start in that you have already gone to college classes and obviously have developed good study habits. And in reviewing your post, your spelling, grammar and punctuation are perfect. You will have no problem with your dyslexia. There are many famous people in history with dyslexia who went on and did great things. I think you will too.
Good luck to you.

[yessie11604]

Hi there were im glad you chose nursing and my advice would be to be very carefull when reading something like a med order and if you dont understand dont hesitate to call the doc him self or a pharmacist cause if you mess up and something happens to that patient ...well you will be in trouble and remember patient safety first.. dont put your self in a situation were it can cause harm to others ..
good luck!