At birth, I was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect secondary to an ototoxic medication that my mother took during pregnancy.  At 6 weeks of age, I was diagnosed with severe, progressive hearing loss.

I was raised within the pathological view that a hearing loss is something that must be fixed. I was taught to read lips and speak. My mother talked and sang to me as if I were a hearing baby.

I first learned that I was different when I was hospitalized. I noticed that the other children did not have to look at each other to talk and play. It was the first time that I felt left out of the world around me.

I asked the nurses a lot of questions about what they did. Then, I decided that I was going to be a nurse. But later I learned that people were skeptical — condescending even — about the idea.

I was enrolled in a school for the Deaf, where lip-reading and speech were emphasized. I felt a sense of belonging because I was with other children like me.

I later transferred to a college preparatory school. It was there that I got the most support and encouragement to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. I felt fortunate to have the abilities to lip-read, speak well and communicate fluently in sign language.

Applying to nursing school was a challenge. It was the first time I remember feeling as if I was being slapped in the face for wanting to chase my dream.

I had to go through a “pathological” admission process—different from that of the hearing applicants. I had to obtain proof that a person with my kind of deafness could succeed as a nurse.

I graduated from nursing school with honors. I used an amplified stethoscope, a frequency modulated amplification system for clinical experiences, and interpreters and note takers for class.

My first job was on the spinal cord injury unit at a hospital. The ward clerk or other nurses alerted me if a patient was ringing for me. My ability to read lips made me good at caring for patients on respirators. Other nurses made my phone calls and we used a “barter” system in supporting each other.

I moved and started working as a pediatric nurse. Many parents of chronically ill or disabled children saw me as proof of what their own children might be able to achieve.

The nursing unit was circular with the nurses’ station in the middle. I used a master alarm with a remote receiver. I placed a receiver on IV machines or respirators to alert me via flashing lights when it rang.

At this time, I work with a team from the University of Connecticut Health Center’s Psychiatry department. I travel to provide training to staff at other mental health programs for the Deaf on dialectical behavioral therapy and trauma recovery.

Because of my experiences, I can communicate in all modalities (oral, signed English, American Sign Language). This enables me to translate abstract health information into concrete terms, vital to help the d/Deaf consumer make educated choices.

Excerpt from a chapter by Morag MacDonald, RN, MSW, in “Leave No Nurse Behind: Nurses working with disAbilities” by Donna Maheady, EdD, ARNP available at www.LeaveNoNurseBehind.com. Proceeds from sales of the book help to maintain www.ExceptionalNurse.com.

Workable Wisdom 

·         Think of the little engine that could. Employers interviewing a nurse with a disability should see what abilities the potential employee may have. Often, individuals with disabilities bring skills and talents to the nursing table that non-disabled nurses do not.

·         Highlight how your condition makes you especially valuable. Make sure your employer, potential employers and colleagues know how your disability is advantageous in caring for patients.

·         Look at all of the possibilities in nursing. From research or case management to school nursing, the key to finding a place or position that’s a good fit for you is simply having the patience and perseverance to look until you find it.  

About the Author:  Donna Maheady, Ed.D., ARNP is a pediatric nurse practitioner and nursing care consultant.  She is a strong advocate for inclusion of nurses with disabilities in nursing practice, and has taught nursing for over 20 years and worked with nursing students with a wide range of disabilities.  Donna is the founder of www.ExceptionalNurse.com, a nonprofit resource network for nurses and nursing students with disabilities. 

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