turned away after clinical started??

[anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN]

p.msonormal {margin-left:7.5pt;} i was called into my administrators office today because my doctor wrote down some physical limitations on my paperwork for clinical. i met with the head of the program at my school over a year ago and discussed the fact that i had a disability and would that affect clinical for me? she said that they work with people with disabilities all the time. in preparation for this i have taken an online course, tested out of two but had to pay for it, and clepped out of a few. so all told, i have paid for a year of school pre-reqs leading up to this year - based on that conversation! so today she told me that i would not be able to do clinical and that she would make sure that my tuition was refunded???? what? (and i have bought 3 uniforms, shoes, socks (yes we are required to have white knee socks), penlight, and books). i reminded her of our conversation - she said that she assumed it was a learning disability since they have a lot of students with that? what?? and that unless my doctor signs off no limitations, i couldn't do clinical??

she said "how do you expect to do this, how do you expect to be a nurse? i said " i don't plan on working with adults, i plan on working with children, and if they weigh more than i can lift, i will use a lift. or working in infection control - i have a degree in microbiology, or get my lactation consultant or one of the many other nursing jobs that don't require lifting!! i have experience using a lift and i know the agency that i used to have caring for my son mandates use of a lift in patients over 40lbs. i am so mad i could spit. i have two discs that are degenerated and i had a spinal infection that spread down my leg and i have pain when i lift or stand for long periods of time. but i can do normal patient care and i have a straight a average, i got the highest score on the entrance exam they ever got. i think this is ridiculous that they would be able to tell me that i must have no restrictions for this, isn't this discrimination? i have a friend that was turned away- he has to use a scooter and has major disability - in that case, i can sort of understand, but i have a lot of experience- i took care of my own son for 14 years- g tube, ng tube, j tube fed, on oxygen, bipap, apnea, bradycardia, seizures, baclofen pump, i did all his care every time he was in the hospital and cared for him most of his 14 years. i even changed his wound pump dressings. i also was in the air force and worked as a medical lab tech and then a medic and was in desert storm. i have no doubt that i can be a very good nurse. not being able to lift heavy should not be a requirement for this in my opinion.

has anyone else heard of this? does anyone else have a disability or know of a classmate that does?

jp

[mysterious_one, ASN, RN]

First of all, I am sorry, you are going through this. The school should have made it clear to you from the beginning that this would be an issue. I can understand , though, why it may not be possible for you to go through clinicals. Unfortunately you will have to rotate through all types of clinical sites, not just pediatrics, this is usually mandatory by the state boards. How will you be able to take care of adults while in school, you can't every time you have to clean or reposition your patient ask someone else to do it. Also it is probably a liability issue for the school, that they do not want to take.

I am sorry you are going through this, I hope things will work out for you.

[JStyles1]

so you were turned away due to a physical disability?

sounds like discrimination to me

[whiteoleander5]

Wow, how ridiculous...What about the smaller nurses who can't lift patients either? Although obviously thats not a disability, but still... It's the same principle. I'm 5'1 and small framed, and I couldn't even lift my partner in lab when we practiced! I'll probably always need help when transferring a patient. I wouldn't give up on this though, because you sound like you would make a great nurse.. I dont know if theres something else you can do to fight for your spot, but if so, do it...I can understand that during clinicals you will be assigned patients that you will have to lift... but I don't think that should make or break your nursing career. And like you said, there are so many things you can do with nursing that won't require you to ever lift anyone. That's not fair at all. I am really sorry, and I hope you get your seat back...:icon_hug:

[Jolie, BSN]

I would recommend a prompt consultation with an attorney who specializes in disability issues.

It does not sound to me as if your disability would prevent you from completing your clinical requirements if minor modifications were made.

ADA requires schools and employers make "reasonable accommodations" for students and employees with disabilities.

A timely resolution to this issue is important so that you don't lose out on classroom or clinical time if the matter is resolved in your favor.

Good luck!

[mybrowneyedgirl, BSN, RN]

I am so very sorry. I would first go to the review board / dean of the school and if you get nowhere there, then an attorney.

That is terrible and sounds like discriminationg to me.

Fight the good fight. I hope you win.

[anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN]

Thank you...i am waiting to see what my spine doctor/ortho says before i take any action. She basically has to sign off saying i have no restrictions, which then could put me at risk for injury or her too if i get injured - not that i would sue her but you understand. And I KNOW there are girls there that can't lift over 30 lbs just based on their build etc. I was the patient today in lab and we worked on moving patients etc and there was a girl that is obese, i couldnt get my hands around her to hold on and she was not able to hold me as i was being moved and i was helping with transfer. And it just really upsets me that they would rather i risk injury in order to get my license than allow me a reasonable accomodation. And as i stated, i have no intention of working with adults. I intend to work with kids or not even work with patients directly. I plan on working part time at first as i get my BSN with a home care agency and i will be able to state, cant lift over 30 lbs so either there is a lift in the home or i wont care for a patient over that weight. I had a lot of nurses that couldnt lift and i had an electric lift for them to use.

I will have to wait to see what my doctor says...

JP

[Jolie, BSN]

Thank you...i am waiting to see what my spine doctor/ortho says before i take any action. She basically has to sign off saying i have no restrictions, which then could put me at risk for injury... And it just really upsets me that they would rather i risk injury in order to get my license than allow me a reasonable accomodation.

By all means, speak to your doctor. But please do not accept your school's decision that they will not make reasonable accommodations without filing an appeal and seeking legal advice.

I don't believe the school has a choice in the matter. I believe that by law, they must make reasonable accommodations for your disability. (Same for future employers.) If you can produce evidence of your meeting with the program director last year, all the better.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[AtomicWoman]

Please keep us posted! With your background and experience, I think you will make an AWESOME nurse! You can take care of me any time, and I don't care if you have to get help to lift me! You've got other very important skills!

:icon_hug:

It would be very interesting to hear from practicing nurses who have injured their backs on the job and cannot lift any more. How have their employers accommodated their physical limitations?

[MagnesiuM]

that's ridiculous and more than likely not legal! health care employers (and schools too i guess) always try to get away with firing/forcing out people with documented problems lifting, while at the same time preaching about minimal-lift-programs and patient safety.....

there are PLENTY of nurses out there on regular med/surg floors who are too short, too small, too skinny, too fat, too out of shape, too old, too broken, too tired, or too pregnant to lift patients or even do much good turning them side to side. They not only have jobs, but they still might be great nurses.

what do they do? get help. ask someone else to assist them. which is what they're supposed to do anyway, even if they were able to do it on their own.

your director is probably some old school nurse who thinks nursing is all about the good old days when you flung patients around like sacks of potatoes and if you couldn't do it, you'd call in some male "orderlies" to throw them around.

ridiculous and out-of-date.

call a lawyer. tonight.

[anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN]

Wow, that brings up a very important point...we have a few pregnant nurses - I had nurses caring for my son that were pregnant and NOT allowed to lift over 25 lbs and i remember hearing that from my own doctor too! it just isnt safe....so what do they do for them?? just ignore safe lifting amounts?

JP

[missjennmb]

Unfortunately nursing schools drop half their students every single time, so I think that the teachers/dean of students just feel like they can drop people for pretty much anything and everything.