Too disabled to be NP

LessValuableNinja · Mar 4, 2015

How hard of hearing are you, and what injuries/limitations?

I'm also disabled but will be going to FNP school relatively shortly. I may be able to advise based on your specifics.

CombatCJ · Mar 4, 2015

My my hearing is categorized as severe to profound. I've been in bilateral hearing aids for awhile. I also injured my back and neck nursing. Had a couple surgeries and lots of rehab. On a 10# lifting/pushing/pulling restriction with frequent position changes (sitting, standing -no more than 30" each. I just fatigue out or pain flares up).

LessValuableNinja · Mar 4, 2015

Hearing is an ADA issue for the most part. You can get an amplified stethoscope. If you can't hear patients, you'll probably need to learn to read lips. If you can, then just listen well. Have you spoken to any deaf orgs for advice? I used to work for TRS.

On the back issues: What exactly are they telling you will prevent you from being a nurse practitioner? I can count the number of times I've seen a nurse practitioner lift a patient on zero fingers. What are they saying the issue is?

CombatCJ · Mar 4, 2015

On the hearing, I do have an amplified stethoscope and very heavily rely on reading lips but group/classroom settings are challenging. It seems that is the area of least concern.

On on the lifting, not moving patients is exactly why it should work. However, schools are requiring extensive standing, being on feet, lifting, pushing and pulling as part of clinicals and have "physical standards" that I cannot fully meet without accommodations, rest breaks, etc thus I do not meet their criteria for their programs.

LessValuableNinja · Mar 4, 2015

In short, my opinion is this:

You can do the job. Through a combination of lip reading and an interpreter if required, you can work as an NP. Potentially you could learn ASL if not known already and use it to serve as an NP to the deaf community.

A school is not afforded the right to determine whether or not your disabilities prevent you from doing school. They can only determine if you can do the job. It's clear that you could be a nurse practitioner with appropriate accomodations, and that you may not even need any.

The school is required to comply with the "effective form of communication" clause of the ADA. Your brain works. Your hands work. You can palpate. You can use an amplified stethoscope. You can view wounds. As long as you can do the job, the school is required to make reasonable accommodations. Those accommodations include an interpreter if required.

There's a lot of case law that provides for interpreters in both school and work environments.

Have you contacted the NAD? About the Law and Advocacy Center | National Association of the Deaf

Any nurse practitioner program that tells you that having back problems will prevent you from interpreting lab results and assessing a diabetic ulcer is drinking the koolaide.

It's also worth contacting the national association for nurses with disabilities. NOND

There's not a question of your ability to perform the job. You just need a little help.

If I were you, I would also look at online FNP programs. There are a ton of them. Let me know if you need help finding some.

Basically, most of them let you take the classes online, and then do clinicals locally.

Let me know if you need help finding some.

That way you can skip some of the pain of dealing with audio issues.

CombatCJ · Mar 4, 2015

I've been researching online programs. The problem is - just because they are offered doesn't mean they are accredited in my state. In other words, I won't qualify to sit for boards cuz they didn't pay my state's board of higher educations fees to be accredited in my state. In fact, most programs won't even allow you to enroll. Crazy eh? And FNP is not my preference. I'd prefer adult especially acute care or even women's health.

My hearing stuff is the least of my concerns but if I need to sit or get off my feet and I'm not allowed then what? I deal with pain constantly but my body fatigues out quickly and easily with certain activities, such as stagnant standing. Then what?

i agree my disabilities should be accommodated and law says so as well but I live and work in the real world. I'm a federal employee (va nurse) and I can tell you they do not care one bit of they violate laws cuz what am I gonna do - sue them? They always have a loop hole. And they do not practice what they preach. And that's why I feel like I'm just running in circles with all this.

CCuser · Mar 4, 2015

Maybe you don't want to do it after all.

CCuser · Mar 4, 2015

Nicktexas gave you a lot of great tips and ideas.

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 4, 2015

1. You need facts, not opinions. Have you spoken with a lawyer with expertise on the laws related to disabilities? If not, that should be your first step. Find out what the laws are and how they apply to your case before you make any plans or invest any more time, effort, and money into career planning. Also find out what disability benefits may be available to you.

2. Once you have the facts ... be realistic. It sounds like you have multiple problems that are going to seriously impact your ability to do some jobs and that will require significant accommodations from employers. Figure out the sort of accommodations you will need for various types of work and then ask yourself some tough questions. How hard are you willing to work at this? How much pain, inconvenience, and expense are you willing to take on for each possible career choice? How likely are you to find long-term, stable employment in each field to make that investment worthwhile? Acknowledge that just because something is legally possible, doesn't mean it is the right option for you.

3. Doing #2 may be a difficult and emotionally painful experience ... but it is a necessary one for you to formulate a plan for your future that has a reasonably good chance of success.

4. After doing step #2 above, choose the pathway that seems the best one for your circumstances. It might be something totally different from what you have previously considered ... or perhaps it will be something that you are already considering ... but for now, keep and open mind as you collect information and explore ALL possibilities. Don't limit yourself to just those options that you may have considered back when you were healthy. Search for the option that will work best for you both now and in the future, given your prognosis.

Good luck to you no matter what you decide.

zmansc, ASN, RN · Mar 4, 2015

nicktexas and IIg gave you some excellent advice. I would only add that there are many programs that are more interested in finding the 100 easy students who are trying to get into their program than they are to helping you, the unusual student who may need them to work at getting you the things you need to complete the program.

--- SHAMELESS PROGRAM PLUG HERE ---

I have found that my program (Frontier Nursing University) is very oriented towards working with individuals, and has worked with others who have had difficulties in the past. They are an online program, and I believe they are accredited in all 50 states (last I checked, it sounds like your state is more picky, so you should double check that). They have a WHNP which you mentioned you might be interested in. The program is not easy, but most of the parts that are audio based also have reading components with most if not all of the material that is presented in audio form, so I would think that would make the didactic about as workable as possible for someone with a hearing disability. The clinicals would be with providers you identified, so hopefully you would be able to find providers that already knew of your limitations and were willing to work around them. Personally, I would assume that will be your biggest difficulty regardless of the program you choose.

--- END OF SHAMELESS PLUG ---

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Jewelsforme · Mar 5, 2015

If you work at a very good institution, they will find a way to accommodate your limitations. I've worked with an RN in a very busy MedSurg who only had one hand and no prosthetic on the other arm. I've worked with a blind nurse confined to a wheel chair, guided by a seeing eye dog in the hospital and she did most of the discharge instructions and answered questions based on her years of experience and knowledge of hospital policy and procedure. I wish you the very best and you find the position that best fits your capabilities and desires!