Any Deaf, Hard of hearing Nurses?

Nurses Disabilities

Published

Hello, I've been a member for a while and am delighted to finally see a forum for nurses with limitations. I am profoundly deaf and getting deafer everyday. Although I do wear 2 BTE's, lip read, know asl, I do speak and I work in the operating room. Any other deaf nurses out there? I'd love to chat with you sometime.

Marvie:welcome:

Hey Jessica. I am new to allnurses byt came upon your post from 9-2007. I too am HOh and will be graduating in 3 months from nursing school. I posted something a minute ago about telephone use for HOH RN's. Any suggestions? Hows nursing school going for yu?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have the PDA E-scope. Its absolutely amazing!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, MDS, ER.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this category :) I've been HOH all my life due to a congenital condition. I wear hearing aids, and using a stethoscope has been interesting. I ended up buying the ThinkLabs but still struggle with it sometimes because I have to take out my hearing aid(s), and can't always hear some low-pitched sounds.

I'm glad there are so many of you out there! My parents always told me there's absolutely no reason I couldn't be a nurse, and I'm grateful for that, because it's so true. I'm currently in an LPN program and will graduate in July of this year. I do have a couple of questions....

I was wondering what everyone does with contact isolation patients and taking out their hearing aids to utilize their stethoscope?

The only thing I've continually struggled with is communicating with people. I'm somewhat shy with people until I get to know them better, and have been told more than once by friends that someone eles thought I'm stuck-up because I ignore them when they talk to me. Those that know me know I'm not...they know they just have to speak up! :) Has this been an issue with anyone else?

I'm also curious to hear how (no pun intended!) OR nurses handle working behind face masks. I'm a big lip-reader, and I feel like I miss a lot of conversation if I'm unable to see someone's lips. If there's anyone out there that is hearing impaired and works in the OR, let me know how you've adapted to working in that situation. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi all. I'm in my first year of nursing school doing my medsurg1 rotation. I wear an in the ear aid and use a Littmans electronic stethoscope. Right now my aid is broken and I haven't rushed out to get it fixed. This semester I have a clinical instructor that complains to my lecture instructor/asst. dean about me not hearing her.. As if there were dozens of hearing impaired nursing students she can't remember that I'm hearing impaired. She yells for me down the hall, talks to me with my back to her, and expects me to respond to her immediately when she asks me a ?instead of allowing for a timely response..It is so frustrating to me that as a nurse who has a masters degree she can't remember the protocol for dealing with a HOH person..Actually it infuriates me.. I want to be treated with the same respect a patient would be..She is not patient and it's killing my love for bedside nursing. The troubling part is my last clinical instructor was very soft spoken and we didn't have the communication difficulties that I have with my present teacher..I do have a letter from the disabilities dept. at school but I have NEVER had to use it b/c all of the rest of my instructors are pretty considerate and understand how to communicate with a HOH person. I have 3 more weekends with this instructor and then I am done with her..Sorry for the rant, I just get fired up b/c I don't hide my disability and I don't ask for accomodations....I'm not gonna give up, they'll have to throw me out of the program...Any thoughts?

I don't read lips well and I don't plan on going into OR or ER work..My eventual immediate goal is to be an infusion nurse and then move on to nurse anesth. I've been in the room during picc line insertions and had very little difficulty with hearing what what being said even with our surgical masks on. The jury is still out on how that will work over the longterm.. I can say that there is a hearing impaired nurse here on allnurses who works in the OR and she does fine.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, MDS, ER.

I started reading your post and for a second thought, "Did I post this?!" LOL My dog decided one of my hearing aides would be a good snack and now I'm down one ear. It's been frustrating not being able to hear as well, but there isn't anything I can do until I get it fixed...I don't utilize any accommodations either, but I do try to sit as close to the teacher as possible in lecture.

I'm sorry you've had so much trouble with your clinical instructor. How does she respond when you try to talk to her about it? If she refuses to understand where you're coming from, I would go to my program director and explain the difficulty you're having hearing. That way you're covered if your told to do something and you don't hear it or if something else happens as a result of your miscommunication with your clinical instructor.

Don't let this kill your love of bedside nursing. I met one patient (she was actually a Sister), who saw my hearing aides and started asking me all these questions. She was older, in her 60's, and had a course of antibiotics that caused her to lose some of her hearing a few months back. She had to get hearing aides, and wasn't comfortable wearing them. She thanked me for talking to her and said it encouraged her to see someone not let hearing loss stop them from doing what they wanted to do. You never know who is getting encouragement from watching you handle difficult situations!

Keep your head up...you made it this far and as you said, you only have a few weeks left with this instructor!! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

hi, there -

i very much identify with you all, i've had the same issues in nursing school (difficulty hearing instructors, classmates, patients, preceptors), and have really struggled with it! like someone else in this thread stated, i always feel i have to work harder than everyone else to stay on top of everything, always feel like there's something i missed / didn't hear, always feel like i have to sit up front and really concentrate. i have a midrange hearing level deficit - so the mid level pitches (conversational tones) are the most difficult for me to hear/understand. i also have a high anxiety level (probably d/t my hearing loss!) - so the whole situation just compounds it. i wear one cic hearing aid, and now that i've passed my boards and am an r.n. (going thru cardiac floor orientation) and have the money (yay!) - i'm about to be fitted for a cic for my other ear. i've had difficulty using a stethoscope, i have a special tip on the one ear piece, but i often get alot of feedback - the other day i could not get the feedback to stop - luckily my patient didn't have any respiratory, cardiac issues. i saw someone mentioned, i believe it was a stethoscope they were referring to (??) a pda e-scope (??) - i'm not familiar with it, can you tell me about it? i'm thinking my best option is a stethoscope with earphones - have those of you with cics found the ear phone (headsets) compatible with cics?? how about the phone?? since i've only had one hearing aid, i always use the phone on my aidless ear and just up the volume - do those cic wearers get alot of phone feedback?? do you all have a list of things you do to "overcome" your hearing deficit??

thanks! :up: :typing

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello. HOH nursing student here. It's great to hear that others are out there cause its quite lonely and my fellow HOH folks are seniors. Ah, the stories I could tell about being the audiologist office!

I'm looking at E Stethoscopes. Are they worth it? I wear BTE hearing aids in both ears (affectionately known as my 'ears').

I'm lucky because my husband and my families are behind me 100% and that makes a huge difference. Also, my College has taken steps to help me succeed.

What is clinical practice like? I'm nervous about my clinical placements due to prejudice and discrimination but I suppose I'll do what I've done all my life, go in with both barrels blazing and get it done.

I'm just so happy to see others in the profession succeed with hearing loss. Thanks everyone for inspiring me to know I can do this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello. I had CICs in both ears for years and I can empathize. When it comes to the phone, I found that the flatter the phone, the less feedback. My RaZor cellphone has changed my life! I never had a problem with headphones with my CICs, in fact they were easier to use than my current BTE.

To overcome my 'deficiet', I just lived my life my way and acted lke my hearing was never a concern. Its like wearing glasses, you put them in and go about your day. I found that that does more to put people at ease, seeing you function normally with hearing aids, than any amount of explaining did.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi everyone!

Am too is HOH.I am lucky I'm done with my school without having difficulty.Now another chapter...,getting a job.I still don't wear aids but maybe once I can afford,this is a necessity.

My question now is this.Since I am now applying for a nursing asst. job,bec. I don't hold any license yet,Do I need to tell them on my interview about my impairment? Did anyone, experience this? I have no problem with talking and hearing somebody on a short distance, but of course when they don't face me, and the kind of voice is like whispering,that is where I have difficulty.I am sure,I can pass through the interview process, but what I am thinking when, I am hired and start the job.

Right now, I am searching for things to equipped myself, like having my own stethoscope(that is why i'm browsing here for that kind of steth for my impairment), and also,to have an aids soon.

I also have another thought to consider here.If once hired, and they require me a physical exam,there they will find out I have problem with my hearing, is there a possibility I will be fired? What I mean,this is an issue that I did'nt tell them at first.

I want to know from people here,who have some experience to share on their job hunting, and job experience. what could you advise me,whether to tell them on my interview that I have this problem? or I just leave it, until getting the job.

Sorry for all of these things.I am just happy to find a corner here where I can freely tell,I am hard of hearing.I don't want my impairment to blocked my dream of working as a nurse.But of course,I'm really worried about this.

I would appreciate it very much to hear feedbacks here.

Thanks for all.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi,

I would like to share with you some information that may or may not be helpful to you. I have just completed a nursing assistant class. In my class was a young lady that was hearing impaired. She helped us all understand that we needed to face her so she could see our lips, and take part in our discussion. She helped all of us,including our nurse educator, who thanked her. She was who she was and she fit in great. She has done beautifully. This also helped us in many ways. She passed the class. Her and I work at Manor Care, a facility for long term care for the elderly. One of the things we learned in communication was to be face-to-face with the residents when we were explaining the procedure we were doing. We are both going for our certification in August.

I have a slight hearing issue, and I found a Littmann stethoscope on; allheart.com. I'm not sure what all they have on the web site, but at least it may be a place to start. Maybe asking a medical supply company.

In my humble opinion, I would face your hearing impairment, honestly. You don't want to compromise your integreity and beliefs be not being upfront. If you don't get hired because of this, then it isn't the place for you. People need to accept you for who you are in this type of business. You have a lot to offer. And once to find the right fit in employement and stethoscope for you, you will do great things. Don't be sorry you have some valid questions and concerns. Good luck to you.

Thank you

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey I am a hearing impaired individual who wants to be a nures also. I will be applying to nursing school sometime next year. Let me know if you get in

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi! I'm so glad to have found this board. I'm currently taking pre-req classes to be able to get into nursing school. But something in the handbook alarmed me and I was wondering what you all think. It is under the Enrollment and Progression Policies Southern Council on Collegiate Education for

Nursing (SCCEN) Core Performance Standards section:

Standard 4: Hearing: Must have auditory ability sufficient

to monitor and assess health needs. Examples of

necessary functional abilities associated with this standard

include (not all inclusive) ability to hear auscultory sounds,

monitor alarms and emergency signals; ability to hear soft

whispers of clients and families and able to tolerate loud

noise for extended periods of time. Assistive devices must

correct hearing to this degree and be worn at all times during

practicums.

This is U South Carolina -Upstate Mary Black Nursing School. I'm going to be up front but I'm concerned.

Katharine

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment