deafgirl1213
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2020
- Messages
- 6
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Hi all,
So I recently graduated nursing school and have passed my NCLEX (yay!). I accepted a job offer on a Neuro ICU after having a great clinical experience there. I decided for the remainder of the nursing program and up until I passed my NCLEX I would work there as a PCT to get a better understanding of the unit. Since I've started working there as a PCT, I quickly realized I have many challenges due to my hearing. I am profoundly deaf and wear a Cochlear Implant on my right ear, and I find myself not being able to hear what's happening around me.
I've since then started second guessing if I should work on this unit mainly because I worry I will jeopardize the safety of my future patients. I know I am more than capable of performing nursing skills as I have been a PCT for over 2 1/2 years and have gained a lot of exposure to the profession. However, my biggest concern is whenever there's a situation such as a rapid response or code that I won't be able to hear what is going on. I've witnessed a few of these cases as a PCT and realized it is incredibly noisy and chaotic and I was not able to understand what everyone was saying.
Another thing is if a patient goes down for a MRI, the nurse has to come down as well, and with my cochlear implant I cannot be in MRI rooms due to my internal processor so I am unsure of how to navigate that situation. Another concern is taking report over the phone as I tend to struggle with hearing the person on the other line. Overall, this unit presents a lot of challenges that I feel like I would be better off working somewhere else that is not a hospital job.
I've searched around to see any places that would fit me best, and I truly feel like working in Audiology would be the best case scenario for me as I wouldn't have to worry about my hearing and worry about feeling so self-conscious. However, there truly aren't any jobs for nurses in Audiology. I've considered going back to school for audiology or speech pathology, but I genuinely just don't know what to do anymore.
I don't mean for this to be a pity party, it's just something I've been internally struggling with and have a hard time talking about it with my parents or friends, since they are all hearing and don't quite understand my anxiety about this situation.
So I recently graduated nursing school and have passed my NCLEX (yay!). I accepted a job offer on a Neuro ICU after having a great clinical experience there. I decided for the remainder of the nursing program and up until I passed my NCLEX I would work there as a PCT to get a better understanding of the unit. Since I've started working there as a PCT, I quickly realized I have many challenges due to my hearing. I am profoundly deaf and wear a Cochlear Implant on my right ear, and I find myself not being able to hear what's happening around me.
I've since then started second guessing if I should work on this unit mainly because I worry I will jeopardize the safety of my future patients. I know I am more than capable of performing nursing skills as I have been a PCT for over 2 1/2 years and have gained a lot of exposure to the profession. However, my biggest concern is whenever there's a situation such as a rapid response or code that I won't be able to hear what is going on. I've witnessed a few of these cases as a PCT and realized it is incredibly noisy and chaotic and I was not able to understand what everyone was saying.
Another thing is if a patient goes down for a MRI, the nurse has to come down as well, and with my cochlear implant I cannot be in MRI rooms due to my internal processor so I am unsure of how to navigate that situation. Another concern is taking report over the phone as I tend to struggle with hearing the person on the other line. Overall, this unit presents a lot of challenges that I feel like I would be better off working somewhere else that is not a hospital job.
I've searched around to see any places that would fit me best, and I truly feel like working in Audiology would be the best case scenario for me as I wouldn't have to worry about my hearing and worry about feeling so self-conscious. However, there truly aren't any jobs for nurses in Audiology. I've considered going back to school for audiology or speech pathology, but I genuinely just don't know what to do anymore.
I don't mean for this to be a pity party, it's just something I've been internally struggling with and have a hard time talking about it with my parents or friends, since they are all hearing and don't quite understand my anxiety about this situation.