Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Carlos Larrauri APRN uses his lived experience with schizophrenia to help others

 

Carlos "Tino" Larrauri, APRN is on a mission! As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, who happens to have schizophrenia, his goal is to interface practice, policy and research to reduce health disparities for people living with mental illness.

As a practicing nurse practitioner, he is dual-board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. He serves on the board of directors for The National Alliance on Mental Illness and NAMI Miami-Dade. 

When he isn't seeing patients, he is busy public speaking, advocating and writing for publication. He also plays the guitar and harmonica and writes original music based on his lived experience. He performs with his friend Matthew "Matteo" Racher as FOGDOG ABOUT | FogDog (fogdogmusic.com)

You can learn more about Carlos "Tino" Larrauri, APRN at:https://www.carloslarrauri.com/ 

Bravo and thanks for the all the work you do Tino!

Cheers,

Donna

*P.S. Carlos "Tino" in now in law school at the University of Michigan

Nurses with disabilities: Need help from FEMA?

 

In California

For disaster- specific information in California, including eligible counties: Visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4558 

 Accessible videos can be found at the FEMA channel:

https://youtube.com/user/FEMA/search?query=FEMA=accessible.  

Outside of California 

Register with FEMA

ASL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl3SFH7U1b8&feature=youtu.be

Spanish language video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meQ_A5XlqSQ&feature=youtu.be  

Individual assistance registration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrdKaE9SVQ&feature=youtu.be 

 

Reasonable accommodations with the American Red Cross, FEMA and other partners 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIqR6fbuYkA&feature=youtu.be 

Other needs assistance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QeYz2IeFmk&feature=youtu.be 

Renters may be eligible for help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAHSPK_K7tg&feature=youtu.be 

How to call FEMA with questions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfbf56VHOcc&feature=youtu.be 

Beware of fraud and scam artists https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVqS709Gj_U&feature=youtu.be. 

Understanding your letter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1a6lYO5hgY&feature=youtu.be. 

Reasons to apply for an SBA Loan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pvfgBaA6_Q&feature=youtu.be 

FEMA assistance does not impact government benefits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii7nc94B30c 

Please pass these accessible resources along!  

Stay safe, 

Donna

Andrea Dalzell, RN... A nurse who uses a wheelchair receives one million dollar surprise!

 

What a remarkable achievement! Our hats off to Andrea Dalzell, RN, Good Morning America and The Craig H.Neilsen Foundation!

Andrea is an exceptional nurse and long time disability advocate. This photo is also included on the www. ExceptionalNurse.com web site.

We wish her all the best!  

You can view the GMA clip at: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/video/deserving-nurse-million-dollar-surprise-lifetime-72921811

Cheers!!

Donna

For homeschoolers: "I am a nurse: Color me Exceptional" is an art activity that demonstrates that disability isn't a barrier to becoming a nurse!

 

In a celebration of abilities, this coloring book includes illustrations of twenty-three nurses working in a wide variety of healthcare settings. All of the nurses have visible or invisible disabilities. The nurses represent real-life nurses working in a variety of practice settings (e.g. camp, NASA, amusement park, school, hospital, clinic, church, cruise ship and more). 

The nurses have disabilities related to hearing and vision loss, amputations, cerebral palsy, diabetes, osteogenesis imperfecta, Asperger's syndrome, spina bifida and epilepsy.

Some nurses use sign language, a clear face mask or an amplified stethoscope. Others use a crutch, wheelchair or service dog.

Coloring the pictures can be a fun art activity as well as a teaching tool to begin early discussions about diversity, acceptance and career possibilities.

Proceeds of sales of the coloring book benefit the ExceptionalNurse.com scholarship fund for nursing students with disabilities.

The coloring book can be purchased at: https://www.amazon.com/nurse-Donna-Carol-Maheady-APRN/dp/107519606X/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=maheady+coloring+book&qid=1598303236&sr=8-13

Thanks for your support and please share!

Cheers!

Donna

Free Mindfulness Meditations for nurses from Headspace

Mindfulness meditation can positively impact your mental and physical health. Headspace is offering all US healthcare professionals who work in public health settings free access to Headspace Plus through 2020.

"What’s going on right now is a challenge for everyone. But you, our healthcare professionals, are particularly overburdened. Headspace wants to be here for you and support you as best we can. Helping you be kind to yourself, and your own health, during this difficult time. If you are a healthcare professional, you can redeem your subscription using your National Provider Identifier (NPI) and email address. Or, if you are a nurse and you don’t have an NPI, you can provide your organization information to verify your credentials."

Learn more at https://www.headspace.com/health-covid-19.

Be well!

Donna

BYU professors design Bluetooth stethoscope to keep health care practitioners safe amid COVID-19 -- Also helped nursing student who wears hearing aids!

Chia-Chi Teng and Craig Nuttall

Sahalie Donaldson, Deseret News reported:

Chia-Chi Teng, a professor of information technology and cybersecurity at BYU, left, and Craig Nuttall, an emergency nurse practitioner and professor in BYU’s College of Nursing, pose for a photo with their newly designed Bluetooth stethoscope on the BYU campus in Provo on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. The device makes it easier and safer for doctors wearing personal protective equipment to take the heart rate of a patient who might have COVID-19. Nuttall holds the device close to his heart and the app on the phone transmits the audio signal of his heart rate to Bluetooth earbuds that Teng is wearing. 

Teng said the device has even helped a BYU nursing student with a hearing disability. She was having trouble in her classes because the clinical stethoscope didn’t work with her hearing aids. Upon reaching out to the professors about the issue, their design was able to connect to her hearing aids making it the “equivalent to an air pod” which “worked like a charm,” Teng said.

The materials for their stethoscope costs under $20 to make.

Both professors emphasized that their design is the world’s to use. They didn’t develop it to make money. The stethoscope’s plans are open sourced and information to make one can be found on GitHub. The accompanying app that allows for live streaming and recording is available on Apple’s TestFlight.

Teng and Nuttall said they hope the design can go on to open doors in telemedicine and improve access to health care in a low cost, sustainable way in any area of the world.

“We want people to use it. We aren’t doing it for our benefit, we are doing it for everyone else’s — especially where COVID is getting really bad right now, especially in Utah and western states,” Nuttall said. “This is needed right? Every single day providers and nurses are making the decision of ‘Do I listen to my patient’s heart and lungs or do I keep myself and my family safe?’ This makes it possible to do both.”

Read more about this stethoscope at:

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/7/8/21307367/byu-professors-design-bluetooth-stethoscope-keep-health-care-practitioners-safe-coronavirus

Cheers!

Donna

Congratulations to the 2020 ExceptionalNurse.com scholarship winners!!!!

Nursing students with a wide range of disabilities are increasing in number every year. Disabilities may include hearing loss, low vision, learning disabilities, limb differences, paralysis, mental illness, autism and chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and movement disorders.

Financing an education can be a challenge for some students with disabilities. In addition to routine expenses (tuition, room and board, books, uniforms, transportation), students may need to purchase an amplified or electronic stethoscope, computer software programs, or audio books—as well as medications, hearing aids, therapies, prostheses, special equipment or custom alterations to uniforms and lab coats. Working a part-time job may not be possible.

Scholarships are available from ExceptionalNurse.com, a nonprofit resource network for nursing students and nurses with disabilities. The organization provides links to disability-related organizations, technology, equipment, financial aid, employment opportunities, mentors, blogs, continuing education, speakers, legal resources, social media groups, research and related articles.

The organization has been awarding scholarships to nursing students with disabilities since 2003. The awards are based on academic performance, letters of recommendation, financial need and an essay which answers the questions: “How do you plan to contribute to the nursing profession? How will your disability influence your practice as a nurse”? Due to support from many sources, we were able to award eight $500.00 scholarships.

ExceptionalNurse.com is honored to announce the winners for 2020!!!

          

Megan Highland from Yankton, SD will be attending Mitchell Technical Institute in South Dakota. In her essay she stated, "I will be able to support the family of young children to explain the process, what to expect and show them that this disease can be managed....I will use myself as a living example of what can be accomplished."

Madelyn Jones from Ottumwa, IA will be attending Indian Hills Community in Iowa. In her essay she wrote, "...I want to give comfort, love and peace to others when they need it most. This is why I have decided to become a nurse."

Kirsten Dreps from Liberty, PA will be attending Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. She wrote, "I know what it is like to be in the hospital, and I know the value of a good bedside manner. I can use my understanding of life with a disability to help other patients cope".

Mikayla Lawless from Groveland, MA will continue her studies in the School of Nursing at Endicott College in Massachusetts. In her essay she stated, "Nursing is an incredible piece of humanity that not many people get to experience. I would be honored to have the privilege to watch people grow after a traumatic injury."

Haley Gaines from Martin, GA will continue her studies in the BSN program at Augusta University in Georgia. Haley wrote, "I hope to leave an impact on the world through my struggles of diabetes, education and perseverance to never give up! My personal experiences have helped to shape my future. As strange as it sounds, diabetes has become more than my life; it has become part of my future!"

Emory Sanders from Ballwin, MO will be attending the University of Missouri-Columbia. In her essay she wrote, "I know how scary it is to be told that you have something wrong with your body. But I want to give my patients hope that they can push past it and find inspiration to fight it....I want to show them that having a disability doesn't limit your abilities in any way. It can only make you stronger as a person."

Aimee Milota from Elk Grove, CA will be attending Grand Canyon University in Arizona..  Aimee wrote, "I spent 15 years in and out of hospitals....The nurses in the hospital were there for me. They helped me get through every day....I plan on being the hardest worker...Many people see my disability as a barrier, but I see it as an inspiration to keep working harder."

Skylar Allen from Lancaster, OH will attend Capital University in Ohio.  Skylar wrote in her essay, "I decided that I will use my disease as a driving force, rather than a crutch, to make a difference in peoples' lives.I want to be a hope for little girls and boys who have lost hope. I want to be the light in the midst of the darkness of disease for children."
                                     

                       Congratulations and best wishes to all!! 

The ExceptionalNurse.com scholarship awards are funded through donations, small grants and proceeds from book sales of “The Exceptional Nurse: Tales from the trenches of truly resilient nurses working with disabilities”, “Leave No Nurse Behind: Nurses working with disabilities”, “Nursing students with disabilities change the course” and the coloring book "I am a nurse: Color me Exceptional! To make a donation or access the application, please visit www.ExceptionalNurse.com. 

Appreciate your support!

        With thanks, 

Donna