Student nurses with disabilities

[sara2013]

I am curious if there are any nurses/student nurses with memory impairements/cognitive deficits. I understand that you have to have good memory/cognition to get through nursing school and practice, but is there anybody who has done it with disabilities, and if yes any strategies/compensatory technicues? Thank you

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

its all about maslow, adpie and ABC's...nursing school exams and tests focus on organization, prioritization and understanding the steps of a disease, steps of a procedure, or steps of giving medications...

assess, diagnosis, plan,implement, evaluate

Second Take your notes like this http://file:///C:/Users/vanessa/Downloads/NurseThink_Oxygen_SAMPLE.pdf

It helps with prioritization in school and the NCLEX for the future.It helps with seeing the big picture. I love charts and the adpie as well as the link above is perfect to condense what is important and "need to know" for nursing :)

lastly, learn how to take a nursing exam...how? by doing practice problems from at least 2-4 different nclex books...why? because you will see a topic being asked in many different angles ....soon you will start to see the pattern . :)

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I'd rather have a nurse with memory impairments taking care of me who is on medication to help the condition, rather then one who is at the bar every week drinking or one who's a pill popper!!!! I want someone wants to be a nurse because they enjoy it. I don't one someone who became a nurse because it pays well!! Those are the nurses who don't care about their patients. Maybe this nurse will require longer time with a nurse preceptor to ensure she's okay! Some people are not good with their memory in certain areas for example maybe she can't remember everything she read from a 50 page medical book but if she performed the tasks explained in the medical book then she will retain the knowledge forever.

Sailor Nurse: For having so many degree's and being so smart on paper, you sure lack common sense! You do not know the entire situation! Furthermore you do not even know her diagnosis or if she even has one! You do not personally know her strengths or weaknesses! If she made it into nursing school and is maintaining her self through school then I don't see any problem with her being a nurse. The drunks and drug addicts are the problem!!!! The nurses who have no compassion for others is the problem.

Bolding mine, comments below:

1) Holy bifurcating!!

2) Stick around a bit, and you'll see Sailor Nurse has impeccable common sense. What is NOT good common sense is this defense of nurses practicing with cognitive deficits. Were it your mother in an ICU with all 3 LeFort fractures, a degloved face, neurogenic shock from a high SCI, elevated ICPs requiring therapeutic hypothermia, in ARDS and renal failure......would you NOT want her to have a nurse with intact cognitive functioning? If passion and care for one's job is enough, where does that end? Is it fine for an airline pilot to fly with cognitive deficits? What about military special ops? Surgeons? No?? So why does a nurse need to caaaare...but not need to be cognitively able?

3) The OP was the one who asked! That's the entire reason the other posters assumed

4) The OP never said she made it into or through nursing school. She asked if anyone has done it with cognitive deficits.

Just when you think you've read everything.

[sailornurse]

I'd rather have a nurse with memory impairments taking care of me who is on medication to help the condition, rather then one who is at the bar every week drinking or one who's a pill popper!!!! I want someone wants to be a nurse because they enjoy it. I don't one someone who became a nurse because it pays well!! Those are the nurses who don't care about their patients. Maybe this nurse will require longer time with a nurse preceptor to ensure she's okay! Some people are not good with their memory in certain areas for example maybe she can't remember everything she read from a 50 page medical book but if she performed the tasks explained in the medical book then she will retain the knowledge forever.

Sailor Nurse: For having so many degree's and being so smart on paper, you sure lack common sense! You do not know the entire situation! Furthermore you do not even know her diagnosis or if she even has one! You do not personally know her strengths or weaknesses! If she made it into nursing school and is maintaining her self through school then I don't see any problem with her being a nurse. The drunks and drug addicts are the problem!!!! The nurses who have no compassion for others is the problem.

I see you are new to AN. Personally attacking another member is not viewed favorably, it is unprofessional. The purpose of this discussion board is to consider other opinions.The OP came on this board asking about memory impairments & cognitive deficits. She only gave limited information, you also do not know her personally and can not evaluate her weaknesses/strengths. You do not know that she is maintaining herself through school, she does not say she is in nursing school, you are assuming a lot that the OP did not state. She is inquiring.She did not ask about physical disabilities, she is asking about cognitive deficiencies. No where did anyone but you bring in pill poppers, at the bar every week, drunks & drug addicts being the ones with the problems. The topic is not about substance abuse issues.Sounds like this is a hot button for you? Try to stay on topic, do not judge nurses with more education and experience. You don't know me. I answered her post. We are not discussing empathy or compassion, the topic is nurses with memory impairments/cognitive disabilities. I taught for ten years in a BSN program, never had any students with memory/cognitive deficiencies. The OP does not actually say she is a nursing program in her post. You do not see a problem with her being/becoming a nurse. In reality, unlikely that an individual with these deficiencies could practice safely as a nurse in any setting.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Here's a twist: I had to leave nursing due to memory loss and cognitive impairments. I have a serious mental illness and the combination of repeated episodes, and the medications I take to manage it, have damaged my brain. I couldn't in good conscience continue to take care of patients knowing I might forget a critical lab, leave out a much-needed medication, or send a patient off to surgery without their consents signed. So I quit while I was ahead, before I hurt someone.

Nursing is all about quick (and critical) thinking, as well as the ability to adapt to rapidly-changing priorities; thus it's unsuitable for people who have trouble with memory and concentration. That's not being discouraging, it's called facing reality. It was awful for me to have to quit when I did, but far better to do the right thing than take the chance of harming, or even killing someone. JMHO.

[l1234567]

nursing is just not bedside: there's gp, school, auditing, research etc etc

Also there are varying degrees of cognitive impairment/ and types.

regardless wouldn't recommend med/surg or emergency.

however there's so many types of nurses: ICU, review nurses etc.

these may be more suitable as you can plan your shift better (usually) write ample notes, set alarms.

so so what if one type of nursing isn't suitable: no type of nursing is 'better' than the other.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I think a couple of posters who have provided 'feedback' is classic nursing eating their young

nursing is just not bedside: there's gp, school, auditing, research etc etc

Also there are varying degrees of cognitive impairment/ and types.

regardless wouldn't recommend med/surg or emergency.

however there's so many types of nurses: ICU, review nurses etc.

these may be more suitable as you can plan your shift better (usually) write ample notes, set alarms.

so so what if one type of nursing isn't suitable: no type of nursing is 'better' than the other.

None of the PP were being rude or "eating their young" (I hate that term!). It's a public forum & everyone has their own opinion & as long as they follow the forum rules they can post what they want.

[Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN]

I think a couple of posters who have provided 'feedback' is classic nursing eating their young

nursing is just not bedside: there's gp, school, auditing, research etc etc

Also there are varying degrees of cognitive impairment/ and types.

regardless wouldn't recommend med/surg or emergency.

however there's so many types of nurses: ICU, review nurses etc.

these may be more suitable as you can plan your shift better (usually) write ample notes, set alarms.

so so what if one type of nursing isn't suitable: no type of nursing is 'better' than the other.

While there's usually a wildcard occurrence to preclude using "always" in these instances, take a moment to consider what is NEARLY always required in the job searches posted in these specialties? That would be a foundation in direct patient care ie good ole acute care nursing. It would be a disservice to offhandedly recommend an inquiring prospect undergo what we all know is tough path while knowing they face unusually limited opportunities if completed. A more responsible approach (one already taken by previous posters, mind you) would be to recommend a prospect meet with local advisers (school faculty, for one example) who can take more measured approaches. Ya know, get to know the student, review their academic history, complete any assessments of their own, etc.

Edit: Furthermore...so the previous responses are an example of NETY really, REALLY? Yeesh

[ComeTogether, LPN]

I graduate from my LPN program in May. I have ADHD-C and deficits in motor skills/ motor planning as well as visual spacial reasoning.

It can absolutely be done, you just have to have a game plan and this (nursing) has to be something you're not only capable of doing but are interested in.

[l1234567]

My mistake, multi-tasking gone wrong: I merged in my silly head an A&P thread with this one whilst I was on a phonecall. Will edit my post to reflect this.

My advice stands: you do not need to be a med/surg nurse to create a good foundation to being a nurse, I say this as a previous med/surg nurse. I say this as a nurse who has current ICU experience and a current specialty experience, when at the time was not looking to do further study. I also say this as someone who has recent experience applying for positions as a new graduate. ICU will have direct grad programs. School nursing, GP offices both do not require this as well. Specialised jobs are available if you network and/or are happy to do further study. Also I actually read the OP's previous thread and took this into account when posting.

So I do not think my main point was off point at all. Obviously (and I did not feel the need to repeat other posters) you would want to meet with a careers advisor, but an even better idea is to take the initiative and reflect on what type of nursing appeals to you before such a meeting. Therfore I did not offhandedly suggest anything, I merely suggested such avenues that could be worth thinking and researching.

Good luck OP, if your post is reflective of your situation (you did not specify if it was yourself), I feel that there is a position for every nurse, just different roles

[l1234567]

Actually I do think what I said was somewhat correct: if OP does have a cognitive impairment I don't see how this is considerate response to her feelings

2) Stick around a bit, and you'll see Sailor Nurse has impeccable common sense. What is NOT good common sense is this defense of nurses practicing with cognitive deficits. Were it your mother in an ICU with all 3 LeFort fractures, a degloved face, neurogenic shock from a high SCI, elevated ICPs requiring therapeutic hypothermia, in ARDS and renal failure......would you NOT want her to have a nurse with intact cognitive functioning? If passion and care for one's job is enough, where does that end? Is it fine for an airline pilot to fly with cognitive deficits? What about military special ops? Surgeons? No?? So why does a nurse need to caaaare...but not need to be cognitively able?.

Just when you think you've read everything.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

Here's a twist: I had to leave nursing due to memory loss and cognitive impairments. I have a serious mental illness and the combination of repeated episodes, and the medications I take to manage it, have damaged my brain. I couldn't in good conscience continue to take care of patients knowing I might forget a critical lab, leave out a much-needed medication, or send a patient off to surgery without their consents signed. So I quit while I was ahead, before I hurt someone.

Nursing is all about quick (and critical) thinking, as well as the ability to adapt to rapidly-changing priorities; thus it's unsuitable for people who have trouble with memory and concentration. That's not being discouraging, it's called facing reality. It was awful for me to have to quit when I did, but far better to do the right thing than take the chance of harming, or even killing someone. JMHO.

Very big (((hugs))), Viva.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

l1234567: No disagreement that there are places for RNs outside acute care. I used an ICU example because thats what I do and what I know. However, don't you agree that a school nurse needs top independent critical thinking and memory skills to keep track of 1000 kids, some of whom have significant health issues like brittle DMI? Don't you agree that a LTC nurse needs top critical thinking and memory skills to manage the needs of 30 residents...when there is no rapid response or code team, no in-house provider? Don't you agree that a PHN needs top critical thinking skills if her county is hit with an outbreak of...say, bubonic plague? To assert that nurses with these issues can practice outside of acute care is insulting to the amazing clinicians who do practice in these settings every day. And it's a disservice to the clients who need their nurses at the top of their game.

In the case of Studentnurse, that's great--she got clearance from neuropsych (who I'm assuming would not give clearance if she were not competent to practice). Accommodations for shifts so that she can sleep and avoid sz's can be reasonable; accommodations for one who lacks tip top cognitive functioning no matter what, are not.

All the OP asked about was nursing with "memory impairments/cognitive deficits." Without more information, generally those kind of challenges are not compatible with nursing practice. It's not eating our young to say that some challenges are not compatible with nursing practice; it is telling the truth.

Finally, as to the assertion that I didn't consider OP's feelings in my post... no, because my response was to Wild_One. Wild_One who seems to think that uncompassionate and financially motivated nurses are more of a problem than incompetent nurses.