For all the HOH nurses out there...

Nurses Disabilities

Published

Specializes in LTC, MDS, ER.

I just wanted to share something with you. I've been HOH all my life (it was hereditary). I've always worn BTE and did a little lip reading. I really never had problems until it came to using the stethoscope. I tried amplified stethoscopes, but they just weren't powerful enough and I was frustrated with having to take out the hearing aids.

I finally went to my local Voc Rehab and explained my difficulty. They set me up with Bluetooth hearing aids and a receiver that I wear around my neck. The stethoscope they gave me attaches to the receiver and sends the heart/lung/etc sounds to right to my hearing aids. (It's all from a company called Phonak). While it does surprise patients because it looks like I'm not using any earpiece to listen to their lung sounds, I've had several comments that they think it's cool.

Just wanted to let you know there are alternatives out there, and I strongly recommend going to Voc Rehab. :)

Hi lvnlrn,

Glad to see your post.I've been reading here about steth and hearing aids.

I will be seeing a VR to help me with my case. Can you pm me what kind of BTE hearing aid

you have with phonak? I still have to get a hearing aid, and I will make sure it will be com-

patible with a stethoscope.Also, I have'nt land a job yet.

I hope to get some feedbacks from you, if you would'nt mind it.

Thanks, and more power to you.

this is also tax deductible....doesn

t need to meet the 7.5% floor, right off the top

If you have t-coil on your HAs or CIs... which you should, I just discovered a bluetooth amplified neckloop that connects to a bluetooth dongle that you can plug into a cardionics stethoscope. The dongle transmits the sound to the neckloop which then sends the sound to your HA/CI using the t-coil. The sound is so much better because the neckloop amplifies it on top of it being amplified by the stethoscope.

hi im in a fairly new job at a rehab ward. we only take obs once in a 24 hr period unless clinically indicated then usually qid ( apart from immediate post fall neuro obs)

we only have one electronically machine for our ward. would i have to fork out for a fancy stethoscope? in case i need to do manuals?

i wear bilateral ( lower cost range) HA with a teleloop fn.TIA

Specializes in GYN/Med-Surg.

I'm a new grad nurse. I'm in the same boat. Gonna go to voc rehab because I've been turned down by FOUR of the major area hospitals (could quite possibly be 5 by the end of the week). I have a severe to profound bilat. hearing loss and wear hearing aids. I lip read VERY well and communicate normally except for the phone, which I've never been able to use. I use a digital stethoscope - Cardionics e-Scope. I don't think anyone will hire me because of doubt that I can do the job efficiently. And it is so difficult to obtain a job in slower-paced settings such as doctors' offices and outpatient centers. Hopefully voc rehab can help me!

Specializes in Public Health.

I wear Phonak hearing aid and have the iCom device. Where do I find this stethoscope you speak of?!

what is meant by voc rehab is at an american term?

For my deaf/HOH peeps out there....just wanted to let you all know you can do it. I am currently going through orientation as a GN on a neuroscience/neurology floor. I am profoundly deaf and wear Oticon Chilis and use the oticon streamer for the phone. I use a thinklabs amplified stethoscope.

I think I am going to do great as a GN. Only issue I worry about is communication on the phone with the Dr but I will get over it.

Just be confident in yourself and get it done!

+ Add a Comment