Confused/Upset New Grad Nurse

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Jul 20, 2013

Keep trying, all I can say is not every hospital system or employers does that test. My last facility did not and yes it was for SICU.

lZazz · Jul 21, 2013

Yeah, I'm definitely not going to give up so yet, it's just discouraging for someone to tell you that you aren't fit to work after you've met every standard and been licensed. Thanks for the encouragement though

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2013

If that is this hospital's policy, there may not be anything you can do but, if it were me, I'd go to an Ophthalmologist and have my vision formally evaluated so I'd know what I'm dealing with. I've never had this test given to me by an employer so I agree to keep trying.

lZazz · Jul 21, 2013

From what I hear from nurses I know who have been in this hospital system a while they've never heard of someone being turned down for it, they have even said that it's absurd. Maybe I'll get lucky, I basically have to wait til Monday for employee health to talk to the supervisors on my potential unit. Hopefully it won't be a new policy they are instituting.

cookiemonsterpower · Jul 21, 2013

I was unsure if this was the right place to post this but... here I go.
As stated in the title I'm a newly graduated nurse in south florida, I worked my butt off in school and received a scholarship to a great hospital system which granted employment after finishing school. I managed to obtain my dream job in an IMCU/CCU and thought my life was going to finally settle into place and then employee health stepped in. During my 2-day initial orientation I was called out to the health building due to results of a failed ishihara test (color deficiency), something I had no idea I had and had and something that never effected my ability to read tests (dipsticks, ketones, occult blood) or provide a perfect assessment, which is what I informed the ARNP after she told me. " No, we are sorry, but I can't clear you for work on that unit with this condition". I pleaded with her to test my vision on tests or skin colors, whatever it was that they didn't think I could preform but they just said all they went by was the ishihara test.
I just feel so defeated after working so hard and completing every task thrown at me to be denied over something I know isn't a problem, and I feel like a huge failure. I just wanted to know if anyone has ever heard of it being a problem and if there is anything I can do because I don't want to give up my dreams of nursing in a critical care unit.
Thanks for taking the time to read this I know it was a long one :/

I sent you a pm. :) Are you still able to work on another floor?

cookiemonsterpower · Jul 21, 2013

From what I hear from nurses I know who have been in this hospital system a while they've never heard of someone being turned down for it, they have even said that it's absurd. Maybe I'll get lucky, I basically have to wait til Monday for employee health to talk to the supervisors on my potential unit. Hopefully it won't be a new policy they are instituting.

Good luck with everything!! :)

green34 · Jul 22, 2013

Eh, I've only had it done with the fire department. At my doctor's office, to be cleared, they showed me the blood tubes and asked what color the tops were and maybe pointed at one other random object in the room. I would also have asked her to have a 2nd person evaluate me to make sure that there wasn't a mistake the first time around or they did not document wrong.

lZazz · Jul 22, 2013

Yeah they did it 3 times, I just can't pass the ishihara test but nothing else I've ever noticed or performed wrong. I've done clinicals in the ER and ICU and seen all the blood tubes and labs and such. I'm hoping the nurse manager that hired me will change her mind if she sees that.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2013

If they are not careful with the cards and you are borderline red/green color blind (you actually see a different shade) I would ask if you can have an independent ophthalmologist/optometrist evaluation to solidify your "disability".....at your expense. k to see the personnel policy that states color blindness excludes you from these areas....however if they include color testing a part of the physical and the passing the physical is a part of your "contingent offer".

I have had facilities test with the ishihara test

and those that don't. I have worked with nurses who are color blind. If this facility won't allow color deficiencies for this position seek another one until you can get a job that doesn't test for them....you can ask for a reasonable accommodation once established that you do have a visual impairment by an independent practitioner.

Subtleties in color can be important but they are not career changing.

BigRed86 · Jul 22, 2013

I'm very interested to see how this turns out for you. I have a feeling I will be in the same boat as you when I graduate school and begin looking for a job.

I am also color "blind" in the red/green spectrum, at least according to the Ishihara test. On most of the plates I can see the outline of the numbers but might confuse a 1 for a 7 or a 5 for a 6. On some of the plates I fail to recognize the number but can look at individual tiny dots on the plates and tell you their exact colors. So inevitably I fail these tests too. I think it is partially my perception of color and partially a brain processing issue. In other words, my brain will not process the number pattern.

If someone can please point to an example in their nursing experiences where they are required to distinguish a number from a group of multicolored dots? I doubt you'll ever see that in practice. So, if you can distinguish skin abnormalities/changes, read test strips, and see color coded labels/tubes then I don't see why you should ever have a problem. If you ever question your ability to perceive a color then I'm sure there will be someone around to verify. There are many legally blind, hearing impaired, and other nurses with disabilities. There are also pilots, police officers, surgeons and a multitude of of people in other professions who are color deficient.

My cousin is color "blind" and he has no problem working as an ICU nurse.

Let's take a hypothetical example of a nurse who is visually impaired but has corrective lenses that only corrects his or her vision to 20/25. Do you think he or she should be denied a job because of this? Let's take another example of a nurse who has back problems and can't lift patients. This nurse needs assistance for lifting/turning most every patient. The employer accommodates the nurse without question and the nurse can always ask for assistance. Just as you can ask for assistance in differentiating a color if you are unsure.

I would also be interested if the ADA would apply to your situation. Is it discrimination to deny you a job because you can't pick out number patterns on a multicolored dotted plate? Unless you truly can't differentiate any color then I don't see this "disability" holding you back. I would ask for a different type of test.

lZazz · Jul 23, 2013

Everything actually worked out ok, I went to the Doctor and he checked me out said he had never heard of it being a problem. He also said out of different ones I have a very mild version and that throughout my life since I've never notice I've learned to accommodate for the deficiency so while I might not see the same vividness or same exact color I know how to distinguish it and I know what the color is (confusing I know). Either way the employee health ARNP cleared me and I start training back up tomorrow. The HR department was rooting for me all weekend and she has said it's never been a problem hiring someone in the past with any deficiency.

It's kind of messed up though because my HR lady had been told by the ARNP after the initial physical that I would never be able to be a nurse. Such a rash decision to come to without me having seen the ophthalmologist yet.

All is good though thanks for all the input from everyone and the kind words.