Great nurse but visually challenged

[Lil guppy]

Am asking for advice. I am a great nurse. RN. Four years experience on medical floor. I did my job and did it well. Never got wrote up. No infractions. My hospital went to the computer med administration. That blew me out of the water. I am legally blind in my left eye. Most of my peripheral vision is gone in my right. I also have cataracts on both eyes that no surgeon is willing to touch. I still function fine. I just cannot pass meds in the timely manner expected. It takes me longer to do it from the computer. My facility wouldn't let me print the meds and go from there so I resigned. Now I don't know what to do. Every job I have applied for requires two good eyes. I am scared to lie about my site anymore. But nobody is gonna hire me if I tell the truth. What do I do now?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Hmmm. Are there any assistive devices you can use? I'm blind in my left eye and as a result have limited peripheral vision and limited depth perception. I've used reading glasses and am very careful double-checking things. Is there a different type of nursing you could do?

[PalmHarborMom]

Your employer is required to make reasonable accommodations. Letting you use an assistive device is very reasonable. While I am not legally blind, I do need reading glasses (can't read computer or type without them) but my distance vision is fine. My solution was to get progressive bifocals. There is no prescription on the top but when I need to read the computer or small print, I am not searching for glasses.

For your cataracts, I would really keep looking for another doctor. Slowly losing the sight that you do have because of a cataract should not be an option.

[Katie828]

The website www.sightconnection.com has "talking" devices....there maybe something that could help you. You might consider something like diabetes education where you mainly talk to patients versus handing out pills.