All ready reported to supervisor

[mario_ragucci]

I took the physical today, for my new CNA job and everything was wonderful, the nurse was excellent, but it was revealed that I am "green, red deficient" 2 pages of the color blind test booklet were a smaze a couldn't tell the numbers in. I know about this, and the only place I notice I have it is on the number tests. It denied me a military occuption of working with electronics (colored wires being an issue)

Is anyone else "green red dificient" and can tell me where they have trouble, (like with urine color ID, like it was explained)

PLease let me know if anyone else is "green red dificient" colorblind.

Now I'm all nervous and wondering if I'll be restricted from some important positions because of my color sight

Anybody?

[donmurray]

Mario, colour "Blind" is a misnomer, as you do see a colour, ( Euro spelling ) it's just that you don't see it the same as the majority do. There are lots of other clues in the environment, like the red traffic light is above the green one, or the object may be a different shape, or texture, etc. etc. No big thing.

[JMP]

I am trying to remember how the color blindness subject came up with some of my male RN co-workers.

I think it was something stupid, like someone asked him what he thought of their new uniform.......the guy said, looks OK, but I am color blind so........ maybe I am not the best guy to ask......which led to others chipping in and saying "yeah, me too".

Like I said before, it is no biggie. What type of nursing are you interested in? If critical care is your thing.......it is mine..... nothing to stop you..... all you need is your desire to always learn, compasion and a drive to be the best. Always ask questions. I learn something new (usually more than one thing) every shift. I am always excitited to get to work.

[ageless]

I was tested for color-blindness before becoming a renal nurse. I had to pass in order to get the job...we test strip our chemicals and often work alone. test was pass or fail..no exception

[Jenny P]

I've worked with color blind nurses before; the main problems they had in the past was pH strips, hemocult tests, and (in the OLD days!) urine glucose tests. Our lab tubes are color coded, but the guys have rarely asked for help in picking out the right ones for each blood test, so the labelling must be fairly clear for them to read it, I'd guess.

[mario_ragucci]

Ageless - what does "test stripe" mean?

And I can understnd why having 100% colorvision is needed at certain tests. I know the urine stck test is where you can hold it up to the bottle and compare the colors. I wonder if I would flunk that?

Thank you all very much for this information. :-)

[prmenrs, RN]

Last year, one of the JCAHO hoops we had to jump was the test for color-blindness--to prove that we were competent to do the stool test! We already knew the one guy was color blind--he has never made any bones about it, and it's a very small part of our job, so it's not a problem. But they did find another nurse w/it. On the side, she sells Mary Kay!!!

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Color Blindness: Vision Deficit and solutions:

http://www.vision1to1.com/EN/HomePage.asp?BGColor=2&Category=8&Article=81

Designing for the Color-Challenged

http://www.internettg.org/newsletter/mar99/accessibility_color_challenged.html

Wearing yellow-tinted sunglasses also improves contrast.

See an eye doctor for more information and peace of mind.

[thisnurse]

mario...

you wont be allowed to celebrate christmas

[mario_ragucci]

Thank you all as I come to better grips with my hannycap. :-(

For the record, I was shown 5 pages, and only saw numbers on 3 of them. Believe me, I see the colors.

Now I'm curious, because acuity is important. Hearing and reflexes are important too, although you can observe acuity.

Before I get my RN, will there also be a hearing test? Not hearing well influences you interpretation of a heartbeat.

[ageless]

By test strips..I was generalizing.

I was refering to hemodialysis, plasmapheresis, and C.V.V.H.D.

These procedure mandate color strip testing for residual cleaning agents such as: chloride, hydrogen peroxide, bleach. Also test for various chemicals in city water to make sure my reverse osmosis water purification system is working properly. These tests are performed before every treatment. I also tests periodically for blood leaks in the machine and lines.

The most important color acuity that I see is to be able to tell the difference between red and orange. During hemolysis (the bursting of red blood cells), blood plasma (in the extracorpeal line of a dialysis machine) will turn orange. If this blood is sent back to the body from the machine, instant death results. No intervention will save this patient other than recognition before blood is returned to the body. With a pump pump set at a usual rate, blood is returning to the body at the speed of 400cc per minute. Early recognition is the only savior.

[BrandyBSN]

i had all of my tests 2 weeks ago. We did have to do the color-blindness test, hearing acuity, and the standard "read the smallest line you can see" eye tests, and a breathalyzer test (which was interesting, I never did that before). And a fiting for TB masks (with yucky sweet nutrisweet flavored spray). I think besides the TB skin tests, Hep titers, and urine-drug screens, that is about all of it.

[KRVRN, BSN, RN]

Mario--

I don't believe you'll be given a hearing test unless you find that you are unable to auscultate certain sounds during nursing school. Then they might suggest testing for your own sake. I wasn't given one with my RN job. They just asked if I had any issues and when I mentioned that I thought I might have tinnitus they merely suggested I might want to get that checked out.

I suppose there may be an area in nursing where hearing loss will be limiting, similar to the example ageless gave with renal nursing and seeing color.

But I'm sure auscultating won't be a problem for you since you heard your squeaky heart/lung sounds.