I need HELP

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Alright, this is my first post on AN, so please bear with me. I am considering persuing nursing as a career, and am attending college for the pre-reqs as of now. But, I have one MAJOR impediment. I can not drive. I can see to do all the work that needs to be done, all of the skills, etc. What is your advice ? Should I blackmail the school, and force them to help me, or should I go another route ? Thanks in advance.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

BLACKMAIL the school? Over what? To force them to provide transportation for you? I really do not understand what you want from the school....color me confused.

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I should have made myself clearer. Yes, to "force" the school to provide transport. Or carpool. But, under the Rehab Act of '73, Section 504, the school has no choice. They recieve federal funding. Would I be correct ?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I should have made myself clearer. Yes, to "force" the school to provide transport. Or carpool. But, under the Rehab Act of '73, Section 504, the school has no choice. They recieve federal funding. Would I be correct ?

No. If your user name indicates your condition that would NOT be a reasonable accommodation and therefore not an accommodation required by 504. Either make other transportation arrangements (friends, family, public transportation) or choose a different major.

All students are required to secure transportation to clinical sites.

I had classmates who couldn't drive for a variety of reasons.

One took a cab until she could find someone to carpool with and split expenses. The reasonable accommodation was to place the student and her ride/carpool classmate in the same clinical group not the school pay for transportation to clinical.

Transportation mandates are for preK-12th grade (or equivalent) not post high school education.

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Clarification: I am not blind. I am near-sighted.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Clarification: I am not blind. I am near-sighted.

Either way it's not a reasonable accommodation to request. Use public transportation. Find a carpool and share expenses. Have friends or family drive you. After secondary school, schools are not mandated to provide transportation. "Blackmail" is very much the wrong word to use for this situation.

Reasonable would be if you found a few classmates to carpool with asking that you are all in the same clinical rotation.

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Ah. Ok. I get it now. My next question is this: online nursing courses. Are they viable ? It seems to me that with this profession, you should get all the classroom time possible.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

There are a few nursing programs with online classroom portion- but ALL programs require clinical work in hospitals, nursing homes etc.

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Specializes in ICU.

Can I ask what may be a silly question here? How do you plan on becoming a nurse if you can't see to drive? I am just wondering. I'm not here to trample on what anyone wants to do in life, just an honest question. And do not cause any waves at a school. Trying to twist their arm to help you will only backfire in the end. I go to a community college where there are many disabled people. All provide their own transportation. There were accommodations made in the classroom for anyone in a wheel chair or otherwise, but not for transportation. Maybe you could take public transportation.

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There are multiple local hospitals/clinics within walking distance, and most of which are hiring. And I have been offered a teaching post at the local Vo-tech to teach Allied Health as well.

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Personally, I'd get get a CNA first and see if nursing is a good fit for you before going through all that. It'll give you a taste of the environment and if you'll be comfortable with what the job requires.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

OP, I think you really need to sit down and think through becoming a nurse. If you are so near sighted that you are not permitted to drive, how will you be getting to work? Some of the printing on medication labels is very tiny- how are you going to ensure that you don't misread a label, leading to a medication error that could potentially be fatal? Even though reasonable accommodations should be made, how do you think those doing the hiring will feel about hiring you? There is a vast difference between being hands-on providing nursing care and the job you have been offered at the vo-tech program teaching. You really need to consider the ramifications of your disability on patients- nursing isn't just about you wanting to do it; you must be able to do it safely.

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