Help!? Any nurses who don't have to talk for their job?

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Specializes in Neuro, Neuro ICU.

Background: I'm 26 and I've been employed on a Neuro Med Surg floor since passing boards in July 12, but in December I had a thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer and unfortunately since then have been SOB with any type of exertion or speaking more than a sentence (my voice is no louder than a whisper) and I'm also dysphagic on thin liquids.

Today, I finally saw an ENT and they did a scope to see how my vocal chords are moving and they are paralyzed in an almost closed position. The ENT was surprised that I'm even functioning at all without a trach. Ive been referred to the best of the best (supposedly) and I was advised to take it easy to avoid respiratory distress.

So my question is does anyone have any ideas on types of nursing jobs (or really any type of job) that I could do that requires very little speaking (and that I'd be understood at a whisper) and doesn't require much movement, as I'm SOB with any exertion. I have my appointment this Friday with the Big Shot ENT, but I'm so worried about employment. I have bills to pay and 30K in student loans. I don't see myself being able to return to a traditional nursing roll unless this is reversed.

Any ideas/advise is appreciated! (sorry it's so long)

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I am very sorry this is happening to you. What about insurance nursing positions? I have a friend who works from home and she reviews cases for a big insurance company. I know that everything is done via computer, so I am thinking that very little talking would be done!

I wish you the best of luck

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Working from home for a rads company typing up dictated reports?! Anything online pretty much and where you can work from home

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aw geez, that has to be real tough, i have nothing to add to the posts above, which seem like good ideas to me,

but, just wanted to say, i hope you are doing well, and hope your appt went well with The Big Shot ENT, hang in there.

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Specializes in Neuro, Neuro ICU.

Thank you for the posts, everyone. I never got a notification of the replies! I was thinking worst case maybe going back and doing medical transcription so it looks like you guys were on the same page with dictation type stuff. Fortunately, my ENT was hopeful and wanted to give me more time to recover and it did happen after almost 3 months! I still have limited movement of one chord, so I'm not back to how I used to be, but I have gotten most of my voice back, rarely choke and have been able to resume my old job!

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Specializes in LTC, Sub-Acute, Hopsice.

My husband had vocal cord paralys after his 3rd cervical spine fusion (this last one fusing 3 vertabre) due to the prolonged time he was intubated. His was only one cord, so he could still speak, sorta, sounding like the Godfather (Brando style). I have hearing loss (none in one ear and about half in the other), so we made quite a pair...she can't hear, he can't talk...He also had some dysphagia but was able to stay with thin liquids by doing a chin-tuck, head turn to the left (left cord was affected) when he swallowed. He also had to slow down on eating as he did partially aspirate a few times when he didn't chew enough or was "shoveling" food in his mouth. The ENT said he could do an injection to help free up the cord, but wanted to wait a couple of months. Then one day, hubby could talk in an almost normal voice and he stopped having problems with liquids...and I mean "one day". It happened so fast it was amazing, he woke up and had twice the volume in his voice, the hoorifice whisper was almost gone! With in a week he was 100% back to normal! So don't lose hope. He had surgery the end of March and his voice was back by April.

Obviously, your vocal cords had a worse injury, but there is improvement as per your last post, so I hope this finds you healed, or close.

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Specializes in Neuro, Neuro ICU.

Im glad your husband isi back to normal! Mine was basically over night too. I went from probably 20 percent to 90 in about a day or two. My voice is a little lower now, but other than that I'm doing well! I'm scared how it will impact any future surgery I may need to have though.

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