dumb and stuttering nurse

[jessi11]

Hi,

I would like to know whether a person who is dumb or stuttering can function as a nurse.

i also would like to ask whether the nurse job involves a lot of talking.

Jessi

[rachelgeorgina]

My dad was a barrister. He stuttered (as a result of a stroke). Anyone can do anything if they set their minds to it.

I'd check out the nurses with disabilities sub-forum with this question.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I don't think stuttering would be a problem. As far as being dumb, anyone who has an RN after their name and made it through the nursing program is not dumb. Being smart has little to do with nursing anyways, it's' the patient care. You can be a straight A student but it won't mean anything if you do not have a servants heart. I know people who made it out of the nursing programs with honors and found out that they were simply not cut out for the field because they did not have the level of compassion that you need.

I have to disagree with being smart has little to do with nursing. 1) their are 2 types of smarts, their is books smarts and street smarts AKA common sense smarts. Nursing you need both. Do you have to be a straight a student to be a good nurse? I say no, some will disagree. But you do need smarts.

You need to know when you give you patient a drug, what you are giving, what are typical reactions, what are signs of toxicity and what to do if your patient starts experiencing them. That is just one small example.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

Maybe the word "mute" should be subsituted for "dumb."

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Maybe the word "mute" should be subsituted for "dumb."

Is that what they meant?? I have never heard of dumb used in reference to mute.

Well for the record me talking about a nurse needing to have some smarts was talking about dumb as in intelligence.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hi,

I would like to know whether a person who is dumb or stuttering can function as a nurse.

i also would like to ask whether the nurse job involves a lot of talking.

Jessi

Well, you've got to talk to patients, families, doctors, other nurses, healthcare workers, etc...I think it might be a challenge for a person with speech difficulties.

But would it be impossible? I honestly do not know--that would depend on both the person and the job itself.

[miniangel729]

I have worked with an excellent ICU nurses who stutters from time to time ~every 5-10 sentences. I think as long as you can still communicate well and make yourself clear, what's holding you back? =]