Welcome to the Exceptional Nurse Blog! I am Donna Maheady, EdD, ARNP, founder of www.ExceptionalNurse.com, the nonprofit resource committed to inclusion of people with disabilities in nursing. We facilitate inclusion of students with disabilities in nursing education programs and foster resilience and continued practice for nurses who are, or become, disabled. We celebrate abilities, share resources and examples of nurses with disabilities who work with and without accommodations.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Good Things About Being a Nurse with a disability
The American Journal of Nursing published an article called
"10 good things about being an older nurse" written by Alice
Facente, MSN, RN.
Alice lists:
Older nurses have empathy and death isn't so frightening.
Older nurses are not easily fooled and not bothered by computer
crashes.
They have x-ray vision and tricks of the trade. In addition, they
collaborate, trust their personal judgment and appreciate the
energy and enthusiasm of new nurses. Older nurses also have a
sense of humor.
Since many nurses with disabilities are also "older" nurses,
does this list apply? Or, are there other good things to add to the
list?
Can you help develop a list of good things about being a
nurse with a disability...at any age?
Please share your thoughts below.
http://ajnoffthecharts.com/2014/10/03/10-good-things-about-being-an-older-nurse/
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
UW nursing student beat the odds
Please meet Eric Seitz...............
"It's a story of survival and decisions. It's also a story with a happy
ending. The middle part was rough. You'll see what I mean. The
happy part is this: The 30 year old class president of the UW
School of Nursing has just graduated. And so begins his next
chapter of life. It's a lot better than some of the previous chapters.
"He's done it all himself," his father David told us. "He did this.
With grants, scholarships, hard work.
He just committed himself to a completely different path."
Wait until you hear the path he was on. It began 12 years ago. He
was just 18 years old, and living on the streets."
http://www.king5.com/story/news/features/2015/06/23/uw-nursing-student-defying-odds/29192271/
"It's a story of survival and decisions. It's also a story with a happy
ending. The middle part was rough. You'll see what I mean. The
happy part is this: The 30 year old class president of the UW
School of Nursing has just graduated. And so begins his next
chapter of life. It's a lot better than some of the previous chapters.
"He's done it all himself," his father David told us. "He did this.
With grants, scholarships, hard work.
He just committed himself to a completely different path."
Wait until you hear the path he was on. It began 12 years ago. He
was just 18 years old, and living on the streets."
http://www.king5.com/story/news/features/2015/06/23/uw-nursing-student-defying-odds/29192271/
Saturday, June 20, 2015
The Gift of life could help a nurse!
Ever think an organ donation could save the life of an aspiring nurse?
Think again....and meet Laurie Lukianov.
Laurie was born with biliary atresia. As a toddler she made the
headlines when she became one of the first patients in the country
to receive a liver transplant from her father, a living donor.
At 13 years old, she needed a second liver transplant. It came from
an organ donor and resulted in a fight for her life.
She won the fight!
Now she is the mother of a 6 year old boy, works in a local
emergency room and is finishing her first year of nursing school
at Brockton Hospital School of Nursing in Massachusetts.
She plan to become a transplant nurse following graduation from
nursing school. Laurie is also an advocate for organ donation. Her
message is that the gift of life is never lost on the recipient.
Laurie's story was covered on ABC News http://tinyurl.com/q6x2rdk
Have you signed up to become an organ donor? Learn more about organ donation at http://tinyurl.com/7rfwb88
Read more about Laurie at http://ht.ly/OsbQr
Please share this information about organ donation. What a
wonderful gift! And, who knows...you might even help a nurse!
Thank you!
Donna
Friday, June 19, 2015
Is it time for a hidden disability symbol?
Are you a nurse with an invisible disability?
Do you hear ..."But you don't look sick?" or "You
always look so good"?
Do people stare at you for using a handicapped parking space?
Do co-workers or administrators lack
understanding of your need for workplace accommodation?
Is it time for a hidden disability symbol for nurses and others with
invisible disabilities?
If you are interested in using this symbol or helping it become an international symbol, please visit the Hidden Disability Facebook page http://tinyurl.com/pmskbrp for details.
http://torontobraininjuryblog.com/2015/03/26/is-it-the-right-time-for-a-hidden-disability-symbol/
Sharing and commenting would be wonderful!!!
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Interprofessional practice and reasonable accommodation for nurses with disabilities
Definitions of interprofessional, interdisciplinary,
multidisciplinary and inter-professional abound. What remains central to most definitions is the
notion of “teamwork” among different professionals working toward a common goal. We often hear
these terms used when professionals work together to improve patient care. Could we consider using
this approach when a nurse with a disability requests reasonable workplace accommodation?
Under
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a nurse with a disability can
request reasonable accommodation from his or her employer. Typically, this
request is submitted to nursing administration, the ADA compliance officer or Human Resources Department.
Procedures for examining/granting/or denying a specific request can vary from one institution to
the next.
Interprofessional
practice may be an individualized approach which could benefit the nurse with a disability, employer, decision makers and ultimately
patient care. The accommodation request could be reviewed by a team of appropriate professionals and
information and suggestions could be shared.
Consider
a nurse who presents a request for reasonable accommodation related to a
hearing loss. An
interprofessional team might include a human resources staffer, attorney, audiologist,
state vocational rehabilitation counselor and a nursing professor.
Legal issues related to reasonable accommodation could be shared by the attorney. The
audiologist could explain the type and degree of hearing loss and recommend appropriate stethoscopes
that could enable the nurse to hear heart/lung/bowel sounds. The state vocational
rehabilitation counselor could contribute information about the nurse’s rehabilitation plan and
available resources. A nursing professor could share examples of how a nursing program
accommodated nursing students with hearing loss in clinical settings. Consultation with
the Association for Healthcare Professionals with Hearing Loss www.amphl.org could also be included.
Another
nurse might present a request for reasonable accommodation because of a back
injury related to lifting a patient. An interprofessional team might include a
human resources staffer, attorney, physical therapist and a nursing
administrator. The human resources staffer could share openings in other departments and the cost of the loss of an
experienced nurse vs the cost of a new hire. Legal issues could be presented by the attorney. The nursing
administrator could share lifting requirements and the average number of squats per shift
on various units. Safer handling initiatives could also be presented. A physical therapist
could outline the nurse’s limitations and rehabilitation plan. Suggestions based on communication with
the Department of Labor’s Job Accommodation Network https://askjan.org/
could be shared as well.
This
team approach may prove to be time consuming. But, the effort offers the
potential for a win-win outcome for the nurse, employer and ultimately patient care.
As the old proverb
states………..many hands make light work!
Sharing this post or leaving a comment is all
part of the team work needed!
This post was written as part of a blog carnival.
Want to read more on this topic?
Visit http://coleycares.com/2015/07/01/coleycares-hosts-nurse-blog-carnival/
Are you a nurse blogger? Want to participate in a blog carnival?
Learn more at http://thenerdynurse.com/nurse-blog-carnival
This post was written as part of a blog carnival.
Want to read more on this topic?
Visit http://coleycares.com/2015/07/01/coleycares-hosts-nurse-blog-carnival/
Are you a nurse blogger? Want to participate in a blog carnival?
Learn more at http://thenerdynurse.com/nurse-blog-carnival
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Creating Disability Inclusive Work Environments For Our Aging Nursing Workforce
The workforce is aging, and the implications of an older nursing
workforce are profound. As nurses age, injuries and disabilities are
more prevalent. If disabilities were more commonly recognized and
accommodated in the design of our nursing work environments,
we could meet future needs. This article explores the literature on
accommodations for an aging workforce, reports disabilities
commonly seen in this population, and introduces universal design.
Matt SB, Fleming SE, Maheady DC. Creating disability inclusive
work environments for our aging nursing workforce. JONA.
2015;45(6):325-330.
The article is a free download at: http://tinyurl.com/pwht7xg
Sharing and commenting is a wonderful idea!
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
"Your Next Shift"...Elizabeth Scala's new book is a must read! Get a copy to keep under your pillow!
Elizabeth, I found your book so uplifting and
inspiring! The information works for nurses at any stage of their career. In my work with the nonprofit group www.ExceptionalNurse.com,
I hear from countless nurses with disabilities (multiple sclerosis, stroke
survivors, hearing or vision loss, Lupus, Parkinson’s disease, amputees, mental
illness) who are struggling to continue to practice in their current positions
as well as those in search of new career paths.
DM: Often nurses with disabilities are at a “fork in
the road”— struggling with the benefits and risks of disclosing a disability to
colleagues and administrators. Do you have any thoughts or recommendations
about the benefits and risk of disclosure? Often nurses are “scared
silent”…afraid they will lose their job.
ES: Great
question. And, one that can be difficult to answer. For me, staying silent is
similar to muffling my authentic voice. It’s analogous to not being myself. One
of my greatest values in life is showing up as a true and authentic expression
of myself. Now that might not be everyone else’s value. To answer your
question, Donna, I think that each nurse needs to do an honest assessment of
themselves and their core values. If living life in an authentic way is
something that is important to them, then disclosing is necessary. Because
guess what? If we live our lives in lie we are only harming ourselves. Many of
the physical symptoms of illness are simply manifestations of some other
mental, emotional, or energetic imbalance. Our body attempts to get our
attention in some really nifty ways. I understand that disclosing is difficult.
Trust me; I have struggled with my own mental health issues from time-to-time
as it runs in my family. If you are working in a place that values you as an
individual, then disclosing in a safe way is the best option.
ES:
Boy, this is a tough one. I absolutely understand what you are describing and
it’s such a shame we judge in this way. However, that being said, we can only
be responsible for our own thoughts, feelings, and actions. There is no way in
the world we can change another adult’s behavior. And further, we’ve got to
understand that the way in which people behave is coming from their perception
of the world. As unique individuals, we all have our own memories, experiences,
attitudes, and worldview. So the advice I’d give here is try not to let another
person’s judgement affect you. Let it go and focus on yourself. There will be
people everywhere in this world that judge you for one thing or another.
Release those negative vibrations and focus on your own self.
DM: For nurses looking to carve out new career paths,
would you recommend reaching out to nurses with similar disabilities for career
guidance?
ES: Absolutely!
I am all about reaching out and receiving support. And who better to ask for
help from? Someone who has walked in your shoes and can empathize with your
history- that is the best person to find mentorship from.
DM: You speak about the power of affirmations in your
book. Would affirmations be helpful for nurses with disabilities searching for
new ways to continue to serve?
ES: I think so.
Now, if used in the way I describe them in ‘Your
Next Shift’.
Because, as you saw in reading it, at first affirmations did not work for me.
In fact, I didn’t think they worked at all! But it was what I was focusing on
and how I was affirming it that was getting in my way. However, to answer your
question, yes I completely see affirmations as a way to empower nurses in
wonderful ways.
DM: Many nurses with disabilities live with the fear
and doubt you discuss in your book. They
ask, “What if my condition gets worse?” What if I can’t do the new job? Do you
have suggestions for dealing with this type of fear and self-doubt?
ES: Awesome
question, Donna. I am so glad that you asked. And I can take the questions you
asked above as an opportunity to teach the readers right here and now. Look at
the questions posed above: ‘What if my condition gets worse? What if I can’t
get the new job?’ The very wording of the question already sets you up for
failure because what we focus on--grows. When we give something energy, either
through thought or words, we give it life. So instead of asking those
questions, the way to start to shift things and release some of that fear and
doubt, is to ask a new set of questions. Try something like: ‘What would it
take for my condition to improve? What vibrational energy must I become to get
me that new job?’ See how those questions feel more empowering? I encourage
your readers to give it a try and then report back to us in the Your Next Shift
Facebook group
how their experiences went.
DM: Many nurses with disabilities deal with
tremendous personal loss….physically, emotionally….and in addition they may
have to leave the bedside and direct patient care. Loss is huge! Do you have
any suggestions for dealing with loss?
ES: Loss is
huge; you’re right about that. I speak more to loss in my first book, ‘Nursing
from Within’
in chapter eight when I give the example of my uncle who took his life in 2010.
Since that life experience, and some others along the way, I personally choose
to view each experience as an opportunity for growth, healing, and change. So,
sure there is loss. But the way we frame it makes a really big difference.
Instead of looking at a loss as a ‘negative’ how can we frame it in such a way
that we learn from it? The very best way to continue forward in life is to
learn from every failure, loss, or challenging experience.
ES: Thanks for
asking. This law is really another opportunity for us, similar to what was
described above. The ‘Law of Polarity’ is simply about the fact that everything
has an equal and exact opposite. The example I share in the book is one I
learned from a business coach. Think of a magic marker. It has the end that you
write with and of course, the opposite end- the top. Without the top, there’d
be no bottom. So in terms of how this law might apply to nurses with
disabilities and how they might view their career is by looking for the exact
opposite of every situation they find themselves in. To bring back your
question above about those negative colleagues judging the nurse who may need
to work less hours- sure there are those people that will judge. But what about
the exact opposite? Those colleagues that fully accept you just as you are!
This law provides so much room for inspiration and joy.
DM: Could your recommendation on pg. 55 to list likes
and dislikes about your job work for a nurse with a disability? For example…a
nurse could list abilities and limitations. Identify areas of nursing practice
where abilities could grow and flourish (telephone triage, hospice hotline,
case management, poison control hotline)
ES: Sure, this
exercise can work for ANYONE. Not just nurses, even. To figure out the best
position where a nurse could grow and flourish is to go through this exercise
and get really, really clear on what your ideal nursing career would look like.
Even if you don’t know where that job might be, or how that might happen,
that’s all OK. Just holding close that vision of the best role (and the action
steps you take along the way) will bring it to fruition.
DM: You talk about WIFT in your new book. How could a
nurse with a disability use WIFT in an interview for a new position?
ES: Great
question. So the WIFT model is asking yourself, ‘What’s in it for them?’ In
terms of the person there in front of you (the person interviewing you for a
new job, in this case), instead of answering their questions with all of the
ways that you are great- you also want to weave in to your responses how you
can serve them. How will hiring you benefit them? What solutions do you bring
to the table? How does your unique self potentially provide their team with
benefits? Figure out their pain points and how you can solve them and you will
hit a homerun!
DM: How could a nurse with a disability use social
media to continue to work?
ES: Hmm…
interesting question. Social media is such an opportunity for us all. It is a
wonderful way to expand our professional networks. It can help us make lasting
connections with people we have never even met. Like you, Donna. It is an honor
to know you via social media and one day I’d love to meet you in person and
give you a great big hug for all of the support you share with me. Social media
can be an outlet for inspiration, connection, knowledge and information, and
career growth.
Many thanks to Elizabeth Scala for sharing so much of
herself and her work with us! Get a copy of her book to keep under your pillow!
http://tinyurl.com/p9e97ux
Please feel free to leave a comment or question below.
http://tinyurl.com/p9e97ux
Please feel free to leave a comment or question below.
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