Nursing student with a learning disability

FLmomof5 · Sep 10, 2009

Just because SHE can't see it, doesn't mean she knows anything about it. We have a NS in my class with a LD and he gets a longer time in a silent location to take his tests.

Contact the school's disability office and the BON and get THEIR answers.

Good Luck!

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 10, 2009

While I am not an expert in these issues, I have a little experience working with new grads with learning disabilities hired by hospitals. Some of those new grads "make it" and others do not.

It depends on how well they can function in real life clinical situations. Clinical practice is very different that sitting in a classroom. You have to be able to perform well -- quickly, under pressure. No one cares "how" you do it, but you must "get the right answer" consistently. If you can get the right answers consistently and quickly, then no one will care if you have a learning disability. However, if you can not perform well in real-life situations, then you will be seen as a danger to the patients and you will not be able to work in that area. The ADA will not be of any help with you on that issue. You can't be given "extra time" or "a special testing environment" or anything like that in a real-life emergency. The amount and types of accommodations that hospitals can (and/or must) provide is very limited because patient safety is always the highest priority.

So ... it will come down to how well you perform in real-life patient care situations. How well CAN you perform in real-life situations? Your original post doesn't say.

Your real problem may not be with the school tests and licensure tests. It may be in what happens in the clinical area. You may need to limit your practice to jobs that don't require a lot in that realm of practice.

rn/writer, RN · Sep 10, 2009

Thread moved to Nurses with Disabilities Forum.

James Garrity, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2009

While I am not an expert in these issues, I have a little experience working with new grads with learning disabilities hired by hospitals. Some of those new grads "make it" and others do not.
It depends on how well they can function in real life clinical situations. Clinical practice is very different that sitting in a classroom. You have to be able to perform well -- quickly, under pressure. No one cares "how" you do it, but you must "get the right answer" consistently. If you can get the right answers consistently and quickly, then no one will care if you have a learning disability. However, if you can not perform well in real-life situations, then you will be seen as a danger to the patients and you will not be able to work in that area. The ADA will not be of any help with you on that issue. You can't be given "extra time" or "a special testing environment" or anything like that in a real-life emergency. The amount and types of accommodations that hospitals can (and/or must) provide is very limited because patient safety is always the highest priority.
So ... it will come down to how well you perform in real-life patient care situations. How well CAN you perform in real-life situations? Your original post doesn't say.
Your real problem may not be with the school tests and licensure tests. It may be in what happens in the clinical area. You may need to limit your practice to jobs that don't require a lot in that realm of practice.

Exactly,she is making asumptions about how I will preform in an actual clinical situation,and while the ER/Truama is not my cup of tea,working in a Surgical/OR/ICU is.and I think it would be up to the hospital, and not the school to make that call.I worked in a clinical situation for 18 years as a vet tech.some of which was emergeny care,never had a problem,drugs are drugs,dosage is dosage and if I didnt get it right,some ones dear pet might have died,So,after carful research,I have determined that I would be more than capable of doing the job.My Doc thinks so too.Thanks for you input

James

rn/writer, RN · Sep 10, 2009

I have been told by the director of the nursing program at the school I wish to attend that she dose not see how I can ever be a nurse based on that.

This director has a "disability" in that she can't "see" how you could manage as a nurse. If you want this opportunity, give her an alternative vision to the brick wall she is looking at now.

Get references from your vet employer and others who would be in a position to know how well you can function in the real world in respect to both your general suitability and your math disability. Also bring in any documentation you have from Voc. Rehab. stating your disability and the accommodations you are entitled to.

Show her an action plan (bureaucratic types LOVE action plans) that details how you will deal with various situations including test-taking and clinical settings. Give her every reason to think that you're the kind of person who anticipates your own needs and works proactively to see that they are met.

Demonstrate maturity, knowledge and enthusiasm and let her know that you are excited about the program.

Many times, people in authority have so much to cope with (more than ever these days with higher expectations and lower budgets) that they their automatic response to anything outside the box is negative. They don't want to have to figure out one more thing. It isn't personal.

Your best bet is to communicate in a positive manner why taking a chance on her won't add to her headaches. If you can lay out the references and the plan and exhibit a reasonable demeanor, that should change you from a potential liability to an asset.

One other thing, with eighteen years experience on the job, you are obviously a little bit older than come of the others who are applying. That means you know how to think and act like an adult. With your job experience you can set a good example for work ethic and responsibility.

If you want the director to give you a chance, give her a chance to see all the good things about you and your plan.

I wish you the very best.

James Garrity, BSN, RN · Sep 12, 2009

9/12/09

I have given her a glowing reference letter from my supervisor where I do volunteer work in a pediatric hospital,in the Ortho Clinic where I have direct contact with patients.From my instructor who gave the 200 level Nursing Skills course,which I passed. A letter from an actual patient who was in a stepdown unit from Burn Trauma,who I assited in his care after just coimpleating the Nursing Skills Course,and the fact that I passed all of my clinicals with flying colors.She either did not read this information,or ignored it.But I did here from the people above her in the Deans office,They can not refuse me taking the TEASE exam,and they base the majority of there decicion on those test results.So,I will be taking the exam,with my accomodations,and if I pass,and I see no reason why I should not as I have passed the PAX exam,WITHOUT my accomodations,along with passing grades on all my prerqus,I should be in the October class start.

James

rn/writer, RN · Sep 13, 2009

Best wishes to you, James. Please, let us know how you do. :up:

LuckyCharm1404 · Sep 15, 2009

Yea ... I disagree. I have struggled with the issue of going to Nursing school or not for a while because i have A.D.D., Short Term Memory loss, and trouble in Math and reading Comp. I kno that i did pretty well working as a caregiver for over a year and i fell inlove with it. The reason they give you help with things like this is so you are able to work in real life situations. Just because you have extra time on tests and you leave the room to take tests is so you can react in real live situations. Having a LD does not make you different ...you just LEARN DIFFERENT.

James Garrity, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2009

Exactly,every one dose not learn in the same way.Unfortunatley,most of the education models are set up for the vast majority who learn in the standard method.I had the hardest time during my first semester at nursing school whith my Dosage Calculation instructor,She wanted me to reinvent the wheel,one memorable problem in particular involving a heperin dose,given at 3 different times,what would the total amont given be and is that dosage safe.I simply multiplyed the dosage x3 ,added the zeros,checked it to see if it was in the safe range,it was.but because I didnt adhere to the formula she had given,"how could I prove it?" ahh,because 1x3 is still 3,10x3 is still 30,100x3 is still 300 weather it be heperin units,cc's or kittens,the math dose not change!And besides,there are such good drug dosing and infusion calculators for the PDA that making a mistake is nearly impossible,unless you feed incorrect information into the formula,which can also happen if your trying to figure it out in your head.The directors idea that I would not be able to dose safely and quickly,dosn't hold water.What she is doing is setting the school up for a possible discrimination suit.The school dean however has a much more different take on it,I can and should be alowed to take the TEASE exam,with my acomodations.What my vocationa rehab counsuler has done however,is give the Nursing Program Director,far more information than she is privlaged to see,in efect,a major HIPPA vilation,and I am still waiting to see how that pans out,there still may be some legal ramifications on all this.I will keep the forum posted on whats going on