Hi, I have a question please

Nurses General Nursing

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This is my first time posting, so i first off just wanted to say hi to everyone. I am 21 and getting ready to go back to college for nursing, ut i have a have a concern that i was hoping you guys would ve able to provide me with some insight on. I have uncorrectable low vision. Now i am not blind or anything i can see the same things others can, but i often have to look closer than others do to read things or to see smaller things. Wen i am reading small print i also use a magnifying lens sometimes. Will this get in the way of me being able to be a nurse? When i was a kid i had a lot of surgeries, and had to learn to compansate for what i had los when i was born. What i went through is one of th reason that i have decided i would like to be a pediatric nurse. I have talked to some people about it and they al seem to think my vision what be a big deal r that it is something i can work around becausei am stil able tosee everything that everyone else can even if i do have to look a lot closer at times, but i wanted to get some more insight from actual nurss, so i came here. Any advice or insight would be very appricaited. thanks.

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Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry.

Welcome to allnurses!!!!

I'm not a nurse yet, but I don't think it will be that big a deal. Do you have corrective lenses? Many nurses are near- and far-sighted. Talk to your school about the different options and help that they may offer. I hope that you don't let something like that stop you from becoming a nurse. Many nurses have disabilities, but it doesn't rend them unable to perform most of the duties of a nurse.

Good luck and I hope you don't let anything keep you from being whatever you want to be. God bless!!!

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Would you be able to see the calibrations on syringes? Would you be able to measure the spaces on cardiac monitor printouts? If yes, you shouldn't have a problem. One thing that does concern me is that if you need a magnifying glass to read small print, how will you be able to see the calibrations on syringes? That directly relates to medication dosages.

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Would you be able to see the calibrations on syringes? Would you be able to measure the spaces on cardiac monitor printouts? If yes, you shouldn't have a problem. One thing that does concern me is that if you need a magnifying glass to read small print, how will you be able to see the calibrations on syringes? That directly relates to medication dosages.

i second that. just go for it you will find out right away if you can. dont forget about the others working with you, use them to verify what you are seeing. you will not be alone.

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Specializes in PACU, PICU, ICU, Peds, Education.

There are practicing deaf physicians and blind nurses at present. What is a little low vision? Some fields of nursing may prove to be not feasable, but that is one of the great things about nursing...its variety.

http://www.nfb.org/coming/Blind_Woman_Will_Pursue_Her_Dream.htm

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Shouldn't be a problem. One of the students in my class is legally blind in one eye and will be graduating with me next month, also she is in the top of the class!! Good Luck and GO FOR IT!!!

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

I don't see that this is that big a problem. As long as you are doing something to compensate for your deficit in accuity, how can that be questioned. I would be more worried if you were hiding it in order to look like you fit in with everyone else.

Listen, surgery is getting more and more sophisticated to the point where surgeons have to use magnifying glasses just to see the sutures they are putting in the patients!

You should talk to an ophthalmologist the next time to go for a checkup to see if he has any suggestions for adjustments that can be made to your glasses that can make reading small print easier for you. Blindness (and, nearly blindness) was one of the very first disabilities to get any kind of attention in this country. I'd be willing to bet that there are other vision tools for you to use that you just don't know about.

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Thank you all for your repies. You have all been very helpfull. I am gonna go ahead and try and see what happens. I will jsut make sure that as i get started i am up front right away about my vision so that i know what needs to be done. I am also gonna look into aids that can help me ecause it is posible there is stuff out there i do not know about. I am stil a little nervouse but i am defintly feeling more confident and more like i can do it, so thanks everyone.

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I think with low vision, you might have some difficulties in doing certain types of pediatric nursing- such as critical care. There are just so many monitors and medications that have small printand then there is a need to move quickly and not have to pull out a Magnifying glass each time you need to read.

However, if you would be interested to work in Pediatrics in another setting, perhaps in specific peds clinics, or something like sleep study labs. I think there will be a lot of challenging options out there.

I'd talk to the dean of the school of nursing, as well as your physician. I think it's possible, but those insulin syringes are surely small...

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