Nursing with a Disability

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 7, 2003

I'll be interested in reading what the responses are to this thread. I'm glad you brought it up. Nursing needs to think about this topic, but has done very little. As the nursing population ages and the shortage of nurses grows more severe, we will need to "use" every nurse we can get. In the past, nurses as a group have not always been tolerant of co-workers who needed any accommodation. I believe physicians have been luckier at securing accommodations because of their increased financial clout and there are more jobs for physicians that emphasize the use of their minds more than their bodies. I don't believe that nursing has been so lucky. I hope that starts to change.

Personally, I have a moderate hearing/balance impairment and have known other nurses with similar hearing losses. I also had an acquaintance who went to nursing school using a wheel chair because of a spinal cord injury.

I wish you all the best and hope you have a fulfilling career in the nursing profession.

llg

DIPLOMATICRN4HIRE, MSN, RN · Jan 7, 2003

I have a very good friend of mine who is a well experienced RN in California. # 3 yrs ago she was jogging and she was a hit and run victim.(they found her hrs later) Her right leg was crushed . Due to the extent of injury she had to have a BKA. She did recover and started working with a prostetic leg on that side. She started to recover which has taken awhile, and she had other injuries from the hit and run also so other issue internally and with the other leg as well.Well during the time she was in the hospital she got a strep infection on a sore on her left foot. With mega atibiodics and such it looked as if all would be fine. She was out one day with another nurse and she fell and hit the ground full force hitting the one remaining good leg. Osteo set in , and it became worse with each treatment. They tried everything possible to save her remaining leg. She had surgery for a LBKA in early DEC 2002. She is now in REHAB to be able to work with her bilat bka's. Due to the time off and the severity of the injuries, the hospital had to let her go.... but they stood by her side during the entire event of things.... She has applied and got a job as a Nursing instructor at a community college close to where she lives. She was terrified that when they saw her she would be escorted out,(This is when she still had one leg) but they didnt they looked at her like they would have looked at you or I. She got the job. They wanted her brain and compassion. She is due to go back to work with them but has taken off time to recover from the last surgery. So far infection free, and Im headed to California the 16th to be with her until school starts.

She is inspiration to many but to her she is nothing more than herself.

Zoe