Hard of Hearing Nursing Student Dismissed, Sued and Awarded $75,000
Shirley Parrott-Copus was working as an LPN for 15 years and decided to return to college to become a registered nurse. Shortly after admission, the nursing program found out that she had a profound sensorineural hearing loss. She was dismissed from the nursing program with a GPA of 3.7.
Since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990 progress has been made accommodating nursing students and nurses with disabilities in education and practice. Specifically, nurses with hearing loss are practicing in a variety of settings (universities, hospitals, schools for the deaf, camps and outpatient clinics). Technology has done much to assist nurses with hearing loss. Examples include captioned telephones, smartphones, digital blood pressure devices, master alarms, pagers, flashing lights and electronic and amplified stethoscopes.
Sign language interpreters have also assisted nursing students. Examples include:
Lauren Searls received her bachelor's in nursing from Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and has applied for the Masters of Science in Nursing program at Johns Hopkins.
Alyssa Myers graduated with a nursing degree from Howard College in Texas.
Sarah Hein is a student at the University of Detroit Mercy in the accelerated BSN/RN program second degree option).
Joanie Grondin graduated from the nursing program at the University of Southern Maine. Nursing students with hearing loss have also graduated in other countries.
Lisanna Grosso graduated from the University of Piedmont in Italy.
Helen Cherry graduated from Brighton School of Nursing in Australia.
Andrew Maxim graduated with a Diploma in mental health nursing from the University of Salford in England.
So, why did this happen?
Shirley Parrott-Copus was working as an LPN for 15 years and decided to return to college to become a registered nurse. She attended Terra State Community College in Ohio for three semesters before being admitted in 2014 to the Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse program. Shirley had a strong academic record and work experience. Shortly after admission, the nursing program found out that she had a profound sensorineural hearing loss and required her to prove that she could hear or be dismissed from the program. The program also refused to consider use of auxiliary aids (closed captioning for required assignments) and other services. She was dismissed from the nursing program with a GPA of 3.7.
Shirley sought counsel from the National Association of the Deaf, the law firm of Relman, Dane & Colfax, PLLC, and the law firm of Stein & Vargas, LLP. A suit was filed in August, 2015 in federal court against Terra State Community College for violating state and federal law, which requires colleges to provide equal opportunity to students who are hard of hearing or deaf. This includes providing students with effective services for communication. The college rescinded her admission and made an offer of judgment, similar to an out-of-court settlement, of $75,000 ($50,000 in damages and $25,000 for her legal fees), which she accepted.
On December 8, 2015 a federal judge entered a judgment against Terra State Community College in a case alleging that the College discriminated against a former nursing student Shirley Parrott-Copus in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Order requires the College to pay $75,000.00 to the former student, Shirley Parrott-Copus. Terra State Community College says it admits no liability in this case. But it settled to avoid unnecessary time and expense.
What do you think?
Why did this happen?
Was this justice?
Should the college have been required to admit Shirley back into the program?
Specializes in Pediatrics, developmental disabilities.
I cannot believe how inconsiderate and disrespectful this college was to the student's disability. They were wrong when they booted her out of the program. It makes me angry that there are people like that who can't be understanding and provide the necessary tools this student needed. I am glad this student fought back and stood her ground. She deserves all the success that she gets and there are by far better schools that can accommodate her needs.
If the school was required to take her back into the program, do you think it would have been a positive experience?
I am hard of hearing and wear bilateral hearing aids for moderate/severe hearing loss. I currently work as a medical assistant and often stress about feeling sufficient enough to go back to school for nursing. I am sad for this student who worked hard and earned her right to be where she was but I also feel a sense of pride that she was able to rectify the situation and make her voice heard. You know what? I feel like if she can do it - I can get over my fears! Call it my new year's resolution.
If the school was required to take her back into the program, do you think it would have been a positive experience?
I think it could have been. The school would have been much more 'accommodating'.
I would think the school would be muy hesitant to pull some type of retaliatory response knowing that this student could then add some type of 'whistle blower' protection violation to another lawsuit. I'm sure they are thinking things twice over and more now.
Wouldn't it be some kind of a kicker if that student were to return to that school as a graduate now employed in some type of EEO counselling?!?! That gal was one smart cookie and good for her! Need more like her.
Sadly, these kinds of situations are fairly common. And not just for colleges/universities, but also employers. People would be amazed if they stopped asking whether someone could/couldn't and started asking "how". For anyone who has hearing loss and is uncertain about your interested career, go to your local Vocational Rehabilitation office and ask to speak with Rehabilitation Counselor with training in deafness/hearing loss. You'd be amazed at what Rehabilitation Counselors know and what they can do for you.
Right now, I'm currently working on helping people with hearing loss obtain training for Commercial Driver's Licenses and gain employment as interstate truck drivers. Other people in a few select states have done it. It's now about pushing the states that are resistant to comply and learn that it indeed is possible.
Specializes in Pediatrics, developmental disabilities.
Sadly, these kinds of situations are fairly common. And not just for colleges/universities, but also employers. People would be amazed if they stopped asking whether someone could/couldn't and started asking "how". For anyone who has hearing loss and is uncertain about your interested career, go to your local Vocational Rehabilitation office and ask to speak with Rehabilitation Counselor with training in deafness/hearing loss. You'd be amazed at what Rehabilitation Counselors know and what they can do for you.
Right now, I'm currently working on helping people with hearing loss obtain training for Commercial Driver's Licenses and gain employment as interstate truck drivers. Other people in a few select states have done it. It's now about pushing the states that are resistant to comply and learn that it indeed is possible.
I did not consider the impacts of being a hearing impaired nursing student and my audiologist has not helped me find an amplified stethoscope or other tool to use with my hearing aids.
Our school also does not provide closed captions for online lectures. I am not sure where to look for help.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Did you self identify to your school's office of disabilities? Did you have an IEP or 504 plan in your previous education settings (whether HS (504/IEP or post secondary (504))? Did you ask your audiologist for help? Did you ask the school to accommodate? It's not the school's job once you graduate high school to seek out students that need accommodations it's the student's legal obligation to self identify and work with the designated office to create an accommodation plan. How significant is your impairment? Do you wear hearing aids? Can you read lips? Do you sign? If you sign are you fluent enough to consider getting an interpreter credential? (This will increase your opportunities and marketability later on or even to secure work while in school. This is an aside). You need to ask for what you need to be successful or work with the office of disabilities to set a plan in place.
I'm more experienced in elementary/middle/high school advocacy but my child is beginning transition so I know the major requirements for post secondary accommodations.
I did not consider the impacts of being a hearing impaired nursing student and my audiologist has not helped me find an amplified stethoscope or other tool to use with my hearing aids.
Our school also does not provide closed captions for online lectures. I am not sure where to look for help.
thank you!
i am with beachy, YOU need to step it up. it is up to you to ask for/work around/whatever. google hearing aide compatible steths. and they are tax deductible. not as a work expense, but right of the top. and, i would think, less likely to be stolen than the electronic steths.
Donna Maheady
10 Articles; 159 Posts
If the school was required to take her back into the program, do you think it would have been a positive experience?