Nurses who are deaf, partial hearing loss?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Help!

I am about to go into my third year as an ER nurse.

Last Thursday, I began having ringing in my right ear, instant 50-75% of the hearing in that ear. Later developed debilatiting vertigo.

My concern- if the hearing loss is perm, how will it affect my job? How can I do a good assessment if I cannot half hear?

We're still trying to figure out what in the world is causing this (possibly a tumor in my inner ear canal, have another f/u MRI this week).

So no medical advice, I just need to hear that it is possible to continue to be a good nurse despite hearing loss.

yeah lip-reading and amplified steths, non verbal languages... :/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in neuro, trauma, med-surg.

cardionics has an electronic stethescope which can be used by hard of hearing and those with cochlear implants. It costs about 400 dollars. You may be able to get help with the cost through the department of rehabilitative services (if there is a department like that in your state). "DORS" helped me pay for school, hearing aids and stethescope when I went through nursing school. I think it would be great if allnurses.com had a forum for nurses with disabilities. I have definitely encountered discrimination due to my hearing impairment at times t/o my career. Both AMPHL and the website "exceptionalnurse.com" are good resources for hearing impaired nurses. I have one suggestion for those nurses experiencing stress or discrimination, look for a workplace that is supportive!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult/ped/neonatal/ICU/Trauma ER nurse.

I am agreed with your suggestions we should help the ones who are facing discrimination to find help or learn how to speak out in their jobs,I have been a truly advocated in my hospital about discrimination against disability people specially us .

The hard of hearing nurses should be respected ,we hear some way but our problem is unable to be audible all along.In noise places it gets worse but we developed other senses .We develop the clinical eye to diagnose if the patient is sick or worsen and this is very helpful to our career we become more aware of the human factor and emotional turmoils in our patients which sometimes will develop as physical illness.

Our own co workers are the problem we face, they are ignorants as nurses helping co workers who are disabled to succeed and be more happy and less stressed at work.We become more perfectionist at work and we look for reading every magazine in nursing to keep updating knowledge so we become better nurses. Human Resources as per joint commission in any hospital or health provider should reinforce a mandatory teaching every 2 years as Aids and Domestic violence ,etc for license renewal "Respect and understand the rights to your disable employee (co worker)".We need to joint together to write them as one voice to make sure they will audit the disable employees and how the get support from the heath institution.Like statistics ,and successful outcome in the departments and how the institution support them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i am from philippines and hoh on my right ear d/t irritation when i was a kid... i graduated nursing program without allowing my classmates and clinical instructors to know that i have the hearing impairement. i finished the program with special award of outstanding clinical performance in hospital... we can all make it... we can be better than those normal nurses...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..

Here's another thread of the same interest:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f296/any-deaf-hard-hearing-nurses-246145.html

There are several similar threads under this forum, Nurses with Disabilities:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f296/

take care!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

Just wanted to add myself to the list here, it was reassuring to stumble upon. I wear CIC's and use a cardionics E-Scope II. I love it. If I could rate my hearing loss on percentages it would be 50%. About to purchase a headset via cardionics so I don't have to mess around with removing my aids to listen with the scope! Anyone have experience with the headphones and CIC's and feedback? I'm an LPN now, about to take my clinical proficiency exam via EC.

Sara

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wear two BTE hearing aids and I am probably 50-65% deaf in both ears. I currently work as an RN. The e-scope is a great stethescope and I use it with a special wired ear piece. It is acutally very thin and is in the shape of a BTE hearing aid. It nicely slips in back of my aids, so, I never have to take them off. It is attached by a jack into the main device that rests on my hips. I tuck the wire that leads from my hip to my aids under my shirt. Sometimes people think I'm listening to an ipod! Go figure? Like nurses listen to music while working. Anyway, it works excellent and I can hear heart and lungs sounds beautifully. However, sometimes I have trouble with clicking noises. When I looked it up in the owner's guide it tells you how to easily reset the original volume and slowly increase it to desired level. It is also better to use the bell instead of the diaphragm. Hope this helps. "Leave no nurse behind" (Maheady)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

To sfrek...I used to wear CICs. I also had problems with feedback when wearing them, especially with headsets. There are two reasons, that I know of, why this happens. For one, the CICs were turned up to maximum volume and could not be turned up anymore. This told my audiologist that CICs were no longer powerful enough for the hearing loss that I had. Secondly, feeback happens alot with the analog type CICs. Even with a t-switch, I had feedback. This was remedied once I got over the "image" issue and decided it was to my advantage (and my patients) to hear optimally with BTEs. I have the newer ones that are thinner and hardly noticed. Sometimes, it is better to have hearing aids noticed so you don't have to constantly remind people that you are hearing impaired. "Getting better every day!" (me).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OR.

Totally Uncalled for.:down::down::down:

No wonder I am constantly repeating myself with you... :D
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, Tele, Geri Psych.

I just came across this website while doing a search for deaf nursing....why didn't anyone tell me it existed?? :chuckle

My situation is similar but progressed. I was an ER nurse for 7yrs before becoming totally deaf and going on full disability. Now, I was deaf in the Left ear for the last 5yrs of that after a tumor removal surgery. So, to answer the "gist" of the question, yes. Will mild loss or unilateral deafness, you can function quite well as a nurse. I had a normal Littman steth and I also had poor balance. The only issue I really dealt with was what direction was someones voice coming from when calling my name.

Now, back to present day.....

I am totally deaf and wanting to to return to my nursing career. I know I am capable of many things and am resigned to a desk job that may require less face to face communication. But, I feel like I am giving up on my true calling of ER nursing. I live in a town of 90k with two separate hospitals providing service for the community. Luckily, I have some inroads to one of the ER's here in town, from my past work history.

I have decided to try and get back to ER nursing in a less hostile aspect or part of the ER. This ER has several levels of acuity, and from what I remember, the "General Hall" is not so dependant or dependant at all on a complete detailed head to toe assessment. Even if it was, I could most likely barter my limitations to fellow nurse in exchange for doing some of their responsibilities. The General Hall is primarily a "fast track" type environment, so heavy on skills, light on continued assessment.

What say you, fellow deaf/HOH and hearing nurses??

:up: or :down:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Go for it derektrn97, and keep us posted on how things are going! You have my thumbs up...and should you not be able to get over the mountain...by all means...get around it! I hope you find your good fit. Thanks for your testimony. :up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.
Totally Uncalled for.:down::down::down:

I think there was some personal background there and more of an inside joke between friends, not a slam to those with hearing loss. Sure, I take it seriously, but if I can't joke about it, then it's just there. I might as well have fun with it. :)

I am amazed this thread was found- I didn't even remember writing it, and had just found the nurses with disabilities forum!

ETA- My way of having fun- my husband snores. I like the fact I can now put the good ear in the pillow, and I don't have to hear snoring! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment