Anyone Deaf or hard of hearing

Dempather, RN · Aug 12, 2007

Yes, I have a mild-moderate hearing loss bilaterally. This never affected me in school since the teachers always spoke facing us and loud enough, even if I sat further away. This makes it difficult sometimes for me to hear whispers or voices when people are far away or turned away. I'm sure you know how frustrating it can be sometimes (and somedays I just feel like it's worse than others.. ), but I'm getting by on my floor alright now. Most nurses I work with are aware of my hearing loss, as well. Good luck in school!

godsweet · Aug 12, 2007

did you have a hard understanding patients? I have no problems with school. I have been in school for one year so I just got accepted to be in ASN programs. I am really excited. The instructors/professors did wonderful job to help me to get through pre-req classes. I have special stethoscope that i can use that will connect to my hearing aids. Would you be able to tell the differences between abnormal and normal when using stethoscope? I never use it before in case thats why i am going to school for to learn. :)

God bless,

Jessica

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 12, 2007

You can buy a stethoscope with amplifiers that will help with auscultation. I used to work with a pediatrician who has severe hearing loss, and she used one. Her patient population was largely kids with chronic health problems so she really needed to have good "ears". The stethoscopes are pretty expensive, and you'd have to probably tie it to your person so it didn't grow legs and walk off, but it would be a good investment in your upcoming career.

Dempather, RN · Aug 12, 2007

I have not tried that stethoscope yet nor do I use hearing aids at this time, so I would be unable to answer those questions. Please let me know how it turns out though(!).

rn660r · Aug 13, 2007

i have bilateral hearing loss from the military. as for my sethoscope, i have to position it just right. but it has not held me back at all.

godsweet · Aug 13, 2007

Janfrn,

Thank for your advice. I found a website of auscultation. It will helps me a lot.

Thanks,

Jessica

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 14, 2007

You're very welcome. I hope you succeed beyond your wildest dreams.

grv68 · Aug 14, 2007

Yes. I am HOH, and wear bilateral hearing aids. I have used a special stethoscope, but found I can hear with a Littmann Cardio III. Yes I can take the hearing aids out and put it in my cargo scrub pockets.

Cardiotronics makes the E-scope II which may help you. It is helpful to me but I did find feedback and external sounds can be distracting. The electronics are great but sometimes overly sensitive.

I assume you had an MOS in Infantry. You didn't state the decibel range of your loss. It can make a difference. As a child (long before the loss was detected) I learned how to read lips, discern body language, and figure out a lot from context. My loss originated from antibiotics in infancy. I did well in school, no speech pathology and never considered myself "impaired".

If it is any inspiration Dr. Helen Taussig, a pioneer in pediatric cardiology was severely hearing impaired and did auscultation using her fingertips. There was a film "Something the Lord Made" although it doesnt focus on her.

Best of luck.

PS: janfrn -amazed by your posts. You are an amazing source of knowledge!

azvalleynurse · Aug 14, 2007

Hi, I'm hard of hearing (moderate - severe) bilaterally and just graduated from ASN of nursing in NY (May 2007). I'm living in AZ now and will be working on a telemetry unit here.

I used a digitial tape recorder in school and found it extremely helpful. I was able to download it into my computer and play it back slower than regular speech. I could also index on the recorder the important points that I didn't hear in class.

http://cardiocare.home.mindspring.com/ This is the stethoscope I used during my nursing clinicals and my career as CNA and LPN.

I hope this helps. Good Luck! and Have fun!!

Let me know how you are doing.

godsweet · Aug 14, 2007

Thanks for advices. I am sorry that I didn't tell you how much hearing loss i have. I'm hard of hearing(severe) bilaterally since I was 3 years old due of severe ear infections. I used my hearing aids since i was 3 years old. I just got the E scope by the help of Vocational Rehabilitation, which it helped a lot. I could not be able to afford the special equipments if i need anything for me to become a nurse.

Thanks for your support

God bless,

Jessica

jess123 · Aug 16, 2007

Hi!

I have a hearing problem (unknown cause) but as hearing aids make all sounds way too loud i prefer to go without! Im being tested for some new ones soon so i hope they will work! I rely the whole time on lip reading and although the person talking needs to be looking at me, not everyone does. Ive been working as a healthcare support worker for 4years and has sometimes been a struggle! the university i will be going to is supposed to be aware of this but wether or not they are!! I tend to keep my hearing loss to myself as when i tell people they tend to shout at me like im a 90 yr old!!! But now im going to Uni i will need to tell the placement areas of my loss! Fingers crossed it wont hold me back in any way!