Beachcomber5

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Go for it derektrn97, and keep us posted on how things are going! You have my thumbs up...and should you not be able to get over the mountain...by all means...get around it! I hope you find your good fit. Thanks for your testimony.

You're lucky you can rip them out...I don't like pity either...I just like to be considered and put on a fair playing ground. Personally, I hate my muffled little world...mainly because without my aids...I get spooked that it is so quiet...and muffled noises are now harder to decipher. Comfort zones are nice if we can get by. It goes to show...there are no two hearing impairments alike. Thanks for the reply.

:lol_hitti....lo and behold...it is us after all! Thanks for sharing your experience. I used to have a mild hearing impairment also...but, my disability is neurosensory and unfortunately progressive. Even when I was mildly impaired I used two aids for balance, but, I applaud you if you can get by with just one. They are expensive. The good news is...my audiologist believes that, with technology, I will always be able to function in the work world. I need to keep my focus on that and save doubt for later. For now...we keep pressing on like anybody else who has a good mind and caring spirit!

Thanks for your reply "have4angels"...and it is also nice to know that I'm not alone either! Congratulations upon entering nursing school, and yes, you will become more and more familiarized with the "science terminology". It is easier to break down the words into the Greek translation like they taught us in "Medical Terminology" classes during the prerequisites. If you didn't take that class, then maybe you can still go to Barnes and Noble and pick up a small booklet with accompanying CD. It is well worth the money and the time as you will use the techniques throughout the length of the nursing program. As for the hearing part, yes, getting hearing aids will definitely make your school life easier. There was a student in my class who was more hearing impaired than I and I knew he was not only struggling, but, just pretending to hear! He had no clue as to what was going on in the classroom setting and depended on just reading at home. Well, we can all guess what happened...he was always either behind in assignments, or not knowing what to do next in the program (he could afford hearing aids, but, was in denial of needing them). I strongly recommend the e-scope for BTE and "in the ear" hearing aids. In your case, you would need to just keep your headsets (that attach to the unit) resting around your neck to use whenever you need to assess a patient. It is very annoying to keep having to take your aids in and out of your ears to put in a regular stethescope and we run the risk of losing them, too. I was in your shoes once when I wore CICs. You can learn more by googling e-scopes and discovering your options using this stethescope. Again, congratulations...if we can't get over the mountain...then we can always find a way around it! Don't ever give up... just believe!

way to go Bortaz!!!!!!!!! :rotfl: :hpygrp: :roll

To sfrek...I used to wear CICs. I also had problems with feedback when wearing them, especially with headsets. There are two reasons, that I know of, why this happens. For one, the CICs were turned up to maximum volume and could not be turned up anymore. This told my audiologist that CICs were no longer powerful enough for the hearing loss that I had. Secondly, feeback happens alot with the analog type CICs. Even with a t-switch, I had feedback. This was remedied once I got over the "image" issue and decided it was to my advantage (and my patients) to hear optimally with BTEs. I have the newer ones that are thinner and hardly noticed. Sometimes, it is better to have hearing aids noticed so you don't have to constantly remind people that you are hearing impaired. "Getting better every day!" (me).

I wear two BTE hearing aids and I am probably 50-65% deaf in both ears. I currently work as an RN. The e-scope is a great stethescope and I use it with a special wired ear piece. It is acutally very thin and is in the shape of a BTE hearing aid. It nicely slips in back of my aids, so, I never have to take them off. It is attached by a jack into the main device that rests on my hips. I tuck the wire that leads from my hip to my aids under my shirt. Sometimes people think I'm listening to an ipod! Go figure? Like nurses listen to music while working. Anyway, it works excellent and I can hear heart and lungs sounds beautifully. However, sometimes I have trouble with clicking noises. When I looked it up in the owner's guide it tells you how to easily reset the original volume and slowly increase it to desired level. It is also better to use the bell instead of the diaphragm. Hope this helps. "Leave no nurse behind" (Maheady)

Hey!...don't sweat it! It is only one week apart. What have you got to lose? Going into a test with high anxiety is a taboo on it own. Just wait a week and don't drink any caffeine before the test!...lol. I'm rootin' for ya!

Thank you for your post, allycat, and yes...there will always be those voices that are difficult to hear, especially the high pitched, soft ones that carry a heavy accent. This is where two nurses listening in on the phone at the same time come in to play. Even people who have good hearing have difficulty with these types of voices, so...they're used to verifying orders with another nurse listening in on the conversation. You're kind words have been a positive validation for me, too. Thanks for taking time out to comment on this thread.

Hi Carla! It was a pleasure reading your reply. Did you know that the average age of a nursing student is 43 yrs young in America? I am 44. My neighbor just graduated with her masters in nursing at 51! She is now a NP. Students ranged from 18-74 in my class with most being over 30 yrs. Three of us had hearing impairments for a total of seven with some kind of disability. You sound like you could definitely go for NP. My goal is in research. As for your other comments, we are not obligated to disclose our disability, however, after I have been hired (I worked as a Nurse-Tech, but, now going for GN), I did tell my managers of my impairment without elaborating. This has actually liberated me in feeling it's okay to be me! They have also accommodated me with phone amplification. When you think about it, telling others of our disability also puts the other person on a fair playing ground, as well. No longer do I get those puzzled looks from people who wonder is she just not listening or just rude. According to the laws of the ADA, we cannot be discriminated against if we can handle the physical requirements of our jobs. So, who do I fear, but, God! Also, this attitude has brought me in as a team player because people know the deal. You'd be surprised how many nurses have hearing impairments. I know of three on the med-surg floor that I worked and two in specialty areas. I know of one who had cochlear implants and is working as a flight nurse with helicopter transported patients. Now, that's courage! As for the children, I have three, and again, like anybody else, I have a right to proclaim them to the world! We cannot be discriminated against for having dependents..this is also unlawful. Finally, nursing school is hard enough without working elsewhere. Hope you can pull it off. Only five students out of 60 worked while attending school. We're all in this together...life is short...be free...just go for it!

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).

I once read somewhere that "nurses eat their own". As we all know, some people will never reach self-actualization. It is those people, like you, who get it...and realize that giving back is what life is all about. If it means anything to you, nursedianne, I just surround myself with people like you and have made myself a nice little world.

I am a graduate of an ADN program. I am also moderate to severely hearing impaired. Just wanted to share my research paper with anyone who is seeking references to a paper without cost. I do not wish to come off too proud, but, I can see the need for encouragement to those overcoming huge obstacles with nursing and disabilities. 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 the where my instructors rarely needed to monitor my skills. My instructors 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 am extremely analytical and have acquired ADN level critical thinking skills. 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 instruction and lip reading, have studied my tail off (I read, read, read!), mastered basic theory, anatomy, patho, fluid and electrolytes, acid-base balance, etc., to the point where other students (hearing) knew I would have 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 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. My contribution is a research paper on an ADN level only. God Bless. "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better" (Dr. Emile Coue). Home Health Care Research Paper.doc