Missing a limb, but not a heart!

April has been declared National Limb Loss Awareness Month in

the United States.

In the spirit of this campaign, it’s fitting that we celebrate some of

our nursing colleagues who, despite the absence of a limb or

extremity, are valuable members of our profession.

Please click on the link below to meet Carey Amsden, RN, Irish

Grant, RN, Carolyn McKinzie, LPN and Susan Fleming, RN.



http://www.reflectionsonnursingleadership.org/Pages/Vol38_1_Maheady_Fleming.aspx



Learn more about Limb Loss Awareness month at:
http://www.amputee-coalition.org/events-programs/limb-loss-awareness-month/

Springtime humor for nurses with disabilities:The Peeps made it through surgery!

Do you celebrate spring, Passover or Easter?

Do you have any special celebrations around this time of year?

Let's celebrate all of the "Peeps" who have undergone surgery and the miracle of separation.  

Take a look at these brave "Peep" volunteers. 

Please share your thoughts about the surgical technique, pre-op and post-op care, Code Purple and reconstruction.

Visit the "Peep" home page for additional information about the subjects, informed consent, review of the literature, and other studies.

Appreciate reading your thoughts,

Donna

 

http://www.peepresearch.org/surgery.html

So hard for pilots and nurses..... to put their name on mental illness

After a Germanwings pilot tragically crashed an airplane into the French Alps, along with 149 passengers, the conversation ignited about mental illness and disclosure in the workplace.

Clearly, we need new ideas and platforms of expression to address these issues. Could a literary arts anthology help? A new venue to share our struggles?

At Stanford University, students created 129 pages of raw, intimate and powerful expressions of the experience of both mental and physical illness in "Release.Restart.Review," a literary arts anthology created by and for Stanford University students that focuses on emotional well-being.

"There are two emotions that everyone talks about, which is being happy and being stressed," said senior Abby Belani, who led the student government team that created the anthology. "Everything else falls by the wayside. And if you're feeling anything else at any particular moment, you're encouraged to keep it quiet or to disguise it as one of those two things. So we wanted to get people talking about the sort of emotions that actually encourage them to create art, which is very rarely stressed."

The goal was to promote the idea that well-being is a spectrum, that it's daily, that there's a whole range of human emotion and it's not necessarily negative and it's not necessarily positive and you should feel free to express the entire range that we're capable of," said senior Caitlin Karasik, a well-being team member who edited the anthology.

 "Seeking professional help is OK and it's fine and you should do it and you should take care of yourself, but also that there's mental health outside of the context of illness and outside of disease and that you should pay attention to it and it should be important every day, not just the days when you really need it or you're diagnosed," she added.

 ...........................................................................................................................

 

While reading about this wonderful anthology, I couldn't help thinking about nursing students and nurses with mental health challenges....so many are scared silent.....

Is it time for nurses to develop well being teams and a similar anthology? 

http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2015/03/24/through-art-stanford-students-open-conversation-about-mental-health

Should nurses with two legs skip more?

"The hosts of NPR's new show about human behavior bring you some new research from Nevada State

University. They've discovered the most efficient way to travel on two legs."

Take a look at this video clip.

Would skipping work well for nurses? 

What would patients think?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1YIuP2epp0

Lawmaker Introduces the Keith Nolan Air Force Deaf Demonstration Act. Good news for nurses?

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On March 31, 2015, "Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced the Keith Nolan Air Force Deaf Demonstration Act, which would allow deaf and hard of hearing individuals to serve in the United States Air Force in a demonstration program. Original co-sponsors include Rep. Niki Tsongas, Rep.John Delaney, Rep. Ted Lieu, and Rep. Chris Van Hollen.

 

Currently, the Department of Defense sets medical standards for enlistment. Within the "hearing" section, there are requirements for hearing levels that would exclude an individual who is deaf. The section also excludes individuals who currently or historically use a hearing aid, or who have a cochlear implant.

 

The Keith Nolan Air Force Deaf Demonstration Act would create a demonstration program in the Air Force for 15-20 Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals who would otherwise qualify to serve in the Air Force."

 

Is this good news for nurses and other healthcare professionals who are d/Deaf and eager to serve in the Air Force?

 

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/03/31/lawmaker-introduces-the-keith-nolan-air-force-deaf-demonstration.html

 

 

Life is like a parade...guest blog post from Dr. Rachel Silva NP

What a privilege it is to share this guest blog post from Dr. Rachel Silva, NP!

Life is like a parade

I've often wondered about nurses who left full-time work due to a disability. Working as a hospital nurse, I've questioned how supportive colleagues would be of another co-worker with a disability that impaired their speed on a busy hospital floor. As with any profession, I think it's important to differentiate between our profession and our purpose in life. Our profession, or particular place of employment, may change. But, our purpose in life is the constant force in pursuing our passions.

Life is like a parade. Unless it's a huge float in the Macy's Day Parade on TV, we have no idea what's coming around the corner. Around the corner could be an achievement or celebration, or a trial of some sort. One of the things about overcoming trials or tribulations in life, is the light you give others encountering similar circumstances. I believe most of the time we can be unaware of the casual influence we can have on others, including a disability.

Many years ago I had a patient that became disabled and was hospitalized due to her injuries. Naturally, the grief and acceptance of her disability was overwhelming. However, the deeper pain for her was questioning how she would be able to support her family financially. Her physician's nurse called the unit to say she would be coming by to check on the patient, and called to inquire what room number the patient was in. I had spoken to her many times on the phone. She was always joyful and truly enjoyed her job as a RN in the office. I looked forward to meeting her for the first time.

Shortly thereafter, a lady in an electronic wheelchair appeared at the nursing station desk. She politely gave her name to the receptionist and stated she was there to visit a patient. I stood there paralyzed as she wheeled down to the patient's room, realizing the lady in the wheelchair was the joyful nurse I had always spoken to over the phone from the physician's office. Later that evening, the patient's sense of purpose and passion in life seemed to appear from nowhere. As she spoke, she shared how much it meant to her that the (disabled) nurse from the office came to visit her and gave her hope. Hope for her future, and hope for her family.

The nurse/lady in the wheelchair not only touched the patient's heart, but my heart, as well. This was nearly 15 years ago. I still remember the physician smiling and telling me "yeah, she had a really hard time when she realized she would never be able to walk again. But, fortunately, that didn't stop her from enjoying life. And, she loves sharing her life with others."

Learn more from Dr. Rachel Silva, NP

https://whatisannp.com/np-photo-gallery/dr-rachel-silva-dnp-fnp/

Department of Justice Unveils New On-line Americans with Disabilities Act Complaint Form - ID Action

Department of Justice Unveils New On-line Americans with Disabilities Act Complaint Form - ID Action