Student nurses with disabilities

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

There is a big misconception about accommodations. Just because you have asked for accommodations does not mean you are entitled to anything and everything which you have asked for. The accommodations must be "reasonable" and cannot put an undue burden on the entity which is being asked for the accommodations. Once on the job, the person must be able to perform all of the duties of that job. For example, being blind is a disability covered by the ADA. This does not mean that the blind person has the right to demand to be hired without their disability being considered as it relates to how it impacts their ability to do the job. For instance, a blind person could not cry discrimination if the job they have applied for is, say, a truck driver position.

The OP has not provided enough information for anyone to state with confidence that she either can or cannot get through nursing school, pass NCLEX, and function independently as a nurse. So the best advice, which has already been given, is to seek the counsel of her academic advisors, her physician or other provider, etc. They WILL have enough information to go on in order to properly advise her.

It's a really popular theme at AN that "anybody" can be a nurse if you want it bad enough or are willing to work really hard. That's FALSE. It's often true, but it's a fact that not everyone is cut out to be a nurse, for a myriad of reasons. The OP needs to talk to the right people to find out which side of that truth she falls in.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 9, 2016

The hard fact is, some disabilities can be worked with and overcome and others cannot. I applaud Viva in her realization that hers (disability) could not be overcome, and for stepping back.

EVERYONE can't be a nurse, or EVERYONE would be. Nursing is fast-paced and you have to think quickly and on your feet and outside the box. If you cannot do this, you will not succeed. Patient's lives and your coworkers will depend you and your ability to do those things. If you cannot do them, you cannot be a nurse. If you cannot succeed in school, nursing itself, which is eternally harder than school, will not work out for you.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

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!!!!

Why should we have to choose? I'd rather have a nurse who is neither of those things, and it just so happens that there are plenty of them out there.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 9, 2016

We can't always have what we want. I can't be a doctor. For many reasons. One of them being, I don't have it in me to deal with the rigors of medical school, internship and residency. I know that about myself. I am realistic.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

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

True. But on another thread, the OP states she is a nursing student. In addition to the challenges she has referenced here, she states in that thread that she has an anxiety problem which interferes with her ability to demonstrate competence in clinical skills.

She has an uphill battle ahead of her. I wish her the best of luck. She needs to check with her school to see what kind of support is available to her at her school, and if they can give her references for any outside sources of help as well.

jailnurse16 · Mar 9, 2016

Let me say first that I have no issue whatsoever for people with disabilities.... Having said that, being a seasoned nurse working in many different areas, one must be on your A- game all the time. Depending on your dx, sx etc... it would be tough to say yea or nay about being a nurse. Being a nurse requires the ability to think critically and be able to think quick when a situation arises. There is no time for having to think about something because of memory difficulties or cognitive impairments. One must be able to make concise, quick, thorough nursing assessments and interventions. Remember, when in a crisis situation, time is of the essence. You also have to be able to prioritize, multi-task and delegate. Maybe nursing isn't the right area for you, but there are many jobs that are involved with the medical field that may suit you better. Whatever the outcome is, I do wish you the best.

explorereb96, ADN, BSN · Mar 9, 2016

Oh Yes Lovely. All of you "Critical Thinkers" had better stay on your game and never make a mistake. Everyone is not Cognitively "on their game." Stop and listen to yourselves for a few. Then continue to pat yourself on the back and while you're at it, go get your medal or trophy for being your perfect little selves. I have been a nurse for a longgg time. We eat YOUR type for dinner. Yes. I agree that if your have moderate to severe cognitive and memory issues that you should think twice about going into any type of hospital or facility nursing. There is home care. They always need home care nurses. You have ONE patient. Please, get over yourselves and stop discouraging someone from the profession just because they can not fit into the mold you have made for yourselves. Not every nurse is designed for acute care. There are many areas that he/she may be a fantastic asset to.

roser13, ASN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

Oh Yes Lovely. All of you "Critical Thinkers" had better stay on your game and never make a mistake. Everyone is not Cognitively "on their game." Stop and listen to yourselves for a few. Then continue to pat yourself on the back and while you're at it, go get your medal or trophy for being your perfect little selves. I have been a nurse for a longgg time. We eat YOUR type for dinner. Yes. I agree that if your have moderate to severe cognitive and memory issues that you should think twice about going into any type of hospital or facility nursing. There is home care. They always need home care nurses. You have ONE patient. Please, get over yourselves and stop discouraging someone from the profession just because they can not fit into the mold you have made for yourselves. Not every nurse is designed for acute care. There are many areas that he/she may be a fantastic asset to.

Are you serious? Home care, where there is no backup? Where you are the only medical professional within a mile and must make critical decisions? Please.

I won't even justify the rest of your smug post by responding.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 9, 2016

No matter where a nurse practices, she/he needs to be detail-oriented and able to think fast on her/his feet. Having cognitive impairments and memory problems is incompatible with a nursing career. Frankly, I wouldn't want a nurse working on me who has the same type of issues I do!

It would have been helpful if the OP had named the cause of her cognitive deficits...some can be improved with medications and/or brain training exercises.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

(((((Viva))))) big hugs!! I'm sure your choice was a difficult one.

l1234567 · Mar 9, 2016

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.

You are commenting on OP's post so yes taking the OP's feelings into account is the decent thing to do

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 thte top of their game.

I don't see how this is insulting at all. I think you are being insulting to people with disabilities. We don't even know if/ what type of cognitive impairment he/she has! You are essentially asserting that if you have a cognitive deficit, you are "not on top of your game" and shouldn't be a nurse. I am sure there would be a few nurses in different areas that have cognitive deficits: but you automatically assume that they aren't good at their job. I believe there is already an ICU nurse who states she has a cognitive impairment, are you saying she shouldn't be a nurse?

I am an ICU nurse now and I use my strategies to enhance my memory everday. You can do it. Plus, there are always other avenues of nursing, you don't have to work on the floor. With my memory deficits, it has come down to being more auditory.

l1234567 · Mar 9, 2016

Also OP, I know part of your question was learning techniques.

I would definitely research your learning style: Multiple Intelligences -- Assessment

I am a visual/ kinaesthetic learner that also for tests wrote songs! (well actually my partner did) So in the tests what I would do is sing the song in my head. I also used acronyms. As I entered the test I would have a rubber and a pencil: I would write out everything I would remember studying: answer the questions that I could with that knowledge. Rub out all of that info and then use it as working space (no open book tests for me!)

In practice as a new grad I would sometimes get very flustered, (between you and I... and the internet) I still do. A shift planner that was already printed out and I would colour code and highlight all my duties! On my lanyard I would have a little deterioration card (like resp rates etc) which would help my confidence for calling the code (would take 2 seconds to glance at), collect my thoughts as to why I was calling the code (another 10 seconds).

When you are new nurse (if you end up going med/surg route) when it's just you in that room with the patient, you will probably instinctively now what to do but calling the code can sometimes be hard. I had a student once where I was in the room doing a blood pressure (which had tanked) and his o2 sats had tanked. I didn't even know the patient as I had literally walked onto the ward five minutes ago: was told the patient was quite unwell (the nurse had only just received the patient) so I decided to undertake observations on this patient first.

It felt like forever before I called the code, because I put oxygen on, changed the angle of the bed: blood towards the head (so I thought I took forever! Then ran through what I remembered about the patient. Then called the code.

I asked my student how long I took (it felt like a long time) but he said "it was so quick, you just went into action, it wasn't even 30 seconds" That's the thing: nursing school prepares you for this, it's drilled into your head.

Also I also made my own little cheat card on my lanyard for drugs (I don't use it anymore, but at first would be useful)!

I saw that anxiety was a hard part for you: I learnt is mindfulness: when you are really stressed just look around you! Take a look at your surrounds: it really works! You practice it when you are least stressed and then when you are stressed you can do it in about a second. Also taking your own pulse when you are really anxious works as well (have no idea why: I think it's a version of mindfulness)