Hearing impaired nurses

I'm a nursing student that is hard of hearing and has to wear hearing aids. I'm just wondering if there are any hearing impaired nurses that would like to share their experiences with this impairment in the nursing profession. Are there certain fields I should avoid? Also, I asked my nursing department if I could purchase an electronic sphygmomanometer and they said they would rather me get a stethoscope, instead. I know how to take blood pressure, but I don't feel that I can accurately hear the diastolic pressure. If I am very uncomfortable about this, don't they have to let me get whatever device I need to be accurate? I've researched the accuracy of electronic sphygmomanometers, and they're pretty accurate. Please share any advice or experiences.

When I was a traveler, I worked with a nurse who was hearing impaired. She was using an electronic STETHOSCOPE which appeared to suit her needs beautifully. Perhaps you should check out this avenue. Your instructors may want to ensure that YOU not an instrument can determine patient values. An electronic scope would, in my opinion, allow you to do a multitude of tasks, auscultate lungs and hearts, as well as take BPs.

I have always put my money in my tools of my trade, a good stethoscope and a great pair of shoes.

Good Luck!!

HemoStat

I worked with a nurse that had an electronic stethoscope. There was a small box at the junction of the tubing that amplified the sound. She said she had no problems. She had hearing loss in both ears.
She did not have to remove her hearing aids to use it.

we have an older peditrician who will leave a stethoscope in his hears when he's talking to parents so he can hear what they are saying but he doesn't wear a hearing aid normally but he should.

Hearing disabilities are not new to Nursing. In fact, when identified, employers have a strong obligation to make accomodations. Here are a few articles you'll find interesting.



Hearing Impairment:
http://www.nursefriendly.com/disabled/

Nurse Uses Mentors to Reach Her Goals Nursing, Hearing Disabilities:"From the time she was born, Molly Jenkins, R.N. of Columbus, Indiana had people she could look to for guidance. Hearing impaired since birth due to a hereditary genetic hearing loss, Jenkins had her mother, also hearing-impaired, as both audiologist and mentor. Her mother guided her through the process of acquiring her first hearing aid when she was five, and her choice to use bilateral aids later as her hearing grew worse in college."
Martha Smith Project Coordinator
Oregon Institute on Disability & Development
Center on Self-Determination at Oregon Health Sciences University
3608 S.E. Powell Blvd. Portland, OR 97202
503-232-9154 x131
http://www.healthsciencefaculty.org/profile_gallery/molly_jenkins.html

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Hearing-Impaired Nurse Files Suit Against Hospital:"A former Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital registered nurse has filed a lawsuit against the hospital seeking more than $750,000 in damages, alleging the hospital refused to accommodate her disability, created a hostile work environment, discriminated against her and harassed her. The lawsuit was filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court by Kimberly Henderson, who said she has 4 percent hearing in one ear and 25 to 40 percent in the other. Henderson alleges she was forced to resign from Newhall Memorial on Nov. 19 after the hospital deliberately failed and refused to accommodate her need for a hearing-assist dog to help her perform her job duties as a nurse. "Filing this lawsuit was a difficult thing to do," said Henderson, who says she lost her home and car after resigning from Newhall Memorial. "As nurses we don't do that, but it came to a point where what they were doing was wrong. It was morally, ethically and lawfully wrong. I went from an independent middle-class life to having my brother support me and my 2-year-old child." Newhall Memorial spokeswoman Andie Bogdan said that since the hospital had yet to be served with the lawsuit, she couldn't comment on it."
http://www.the-signal.com/News/ViewStory.asp?storyID=1677

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Any questions, please drop me a line.

Sincerely,

Andrew Lopez, RN
Nursefriendly, Inc. A New Jersey Corporation.
38 Tattersall Drive, Mantua New Jersey 08051
http://www.nursefriendly.com info@nursefriendly.com ICQ #6116137
856-415-9617, (fax) 415-9618

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I recently purchased an electronic stethoscope called the E-Scope, manufactured by Cardionics. There are 2 models. One model is for severely hearing impaired and allow one to plug the stethoscope into one's hearing aid. The other one (which is the one I have) is the only electronic stethoscope I found that comes with a pediatric bell. Both scopes can be plugged into a handheld PDA for graphic display and recording. The cost was also less than the Lippincott. I wish I had done this years ago. I now hear sounds exactly the way they sound on those training cassettes for heart & lung sounds. I did not realize what I was missing.

cassioo wrote:we have an older peditrician who will leave a stethoscope in his hears when he's talking to parents so he can hear what they are saying but he doesn't wear a hearing aid normally but he should.

I have done that. When a patient who is speaking VERY softly it has worked very well!!!! And I am not hearing impaired, except to IV pumps:rolleyes:

Mrs. ERnurse