I am a new graduate of an ADN program. I am also moderate to severely hearing impaired. I can see the need for some encouragement to those overcoming huge obstacles with nursing and hearing disabilities, especially students. Yes, it can be done! Yes, you will work harder! My motto is "if you can't get over the mountain, then, by all means find a way to get around it". According to my instructors, I have graduated with some of the top students in the class. I have also aced my clinicals at the hospitals to where my instructors rarely needed to monitor my skills. My intructors grew to trust me. My compensatory skills and my desire to be the best nurse I could possibly be was enough for them to see that I was serious about nursing. I left no stone unturned and was meticulous in my work at the hospital. I am extremely analytical and have acquired ADN level critcal thinking skills, which by the way are improved as your nursing career goes on. I love to learn and I love the sciences. I will continue to the MSN level. I wear two BTE hearing aids, use an E-Scope, have paid close attention to class instruction with lip reading, have studied my tail off (I read, read, read!), and mastered all my nursing courses to the point where even hearing students knew I had a few answers to some challenging questions. I handed in all my assignments on time and typed professionally. I was never late or absent for class. I closely listened to all my patients. I asked questions and kindly asked answers to be repeated. I gave no reason for anyone to question my ability to succeed not only as a nursing student, but, as a future professional nurse. I always introduced myself with my name, a handshake, and a quick "I am also hearing impaired", statement. I have had the smartest, wisest, and most compassionate instructors and fellow students who have never made me feel less of a person or professional. We have all helped one another and I am proud to have been part of such an intelligent and caring group of individuals. God and my family, too, deserve all the praise because they have helped me through a rigorous program and through the tough times when I felt like giving up. God bless nurses with disabilities! "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better" (Dr. Emile Coue).
