[NPInfo] i just got fired!

David or Diane Dito dddito at charter.net
Sun Nov 4 22:03:27 PST 2007 

Lynn,

To assist with hearing....

For starters--once you're employed again, go to your nearest retailer that
carries electronic stethoscopes and try out as many makes and models as you
can to see which one allows you to hear the best with your good ear. Make
sure the ear pieces can screw off and on so that if you do need to go to a
hearing aid for your affected ear one day, you might be able to adapt the
scope accordingly. The scopes are pricier than standard scopes, but are well
worth it if you can find one that works well for you. Once you find one you
like, then you can shop on-line for best price. If you can only buy on-line
without trying first, make sure you can return if it doesn't work for you.

Some electronic stethoscopes come with headphones that are supposed to fit
over a hearing aid. I've never gotten my (supposedly) top-of-the-line
digital aid to be compatible with a headphone...too much feedback whenever
anything gets too close to the darned thing. Technology is always improving,
though, so one day this may not be so much of an issue.

You can get an over-the-ear hearing aid with an adaptable port (serves as a
vent when the stethoscope isn't being used) in the silicone aid earpiece.
The port accepts the normal, bare electronic stethoscope earpiece (without
the rubber tip...you insert it directly into the earpiece of the hearing
aid). This function worked well for me, but I had some other issues with the
over-the-ear type aid that my audiologist couldn't adapt anatomically or to
my particular and fairly unusual type of hearing loss.

I now often just wear one hearing aid (the right as that's my worst ear) and
use my electronic stethoscope in my left ear; otherwise, I'd be
replacing/removing my hearing aids all day with the risk of dropping one or
losing one, and it works pretty well. Since I have bilateral hearing loss, I
don't think my audiologist would approve, but it's what works best for me in
a fast-paced environment.

There's even a website for medical professionals with hearing loss. I don't
have time to pull up the link right now, but it should be a fairly easy
google. There's even a nurse with fairly profound deafness who has a site
with pictures of a device that worked for her.

I'm sure you'll get some other ideas from all the great people on this list!
Since I'm still pretty new at working with the devices, I'd love to hear any
other suggestions (off-list or on).

Diane Dito

-----Original Message-----
From: npinfo-bounces at nurse.net [mailto:npinfo-bounces at nurse.net] On Behalf
Of Lynda Woiblett
Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2007 5:43 PM
To: NP Info
Subject: Re: [NPInfo] i just got fired!

Diane,
You give me hope that I may finally learn to hear with just the one ear and
hear what I need to...I am not so good with murmurs (eps if there is more
than 1 or a cresendo-decresendo)...I will not stop trying...I feel pretty
confident with lungs but pleural rubs are still inaudible to me...any
suggestions appreciated..till then, I am doing what we all did in the
beginning..practice, prctice, practice..
thanks,
Lynn

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David or Diane Dito<mailto:dddito at charter.net> 
  To: 'NP Info'<mailto:npinfo at nurse.net> 
  Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2007 3:37 PM
  Subject: RE: [NPInfo] i just got fired!


  Lynn,

  I'm so sorry about your job, along with everything else you've been going
  through.

  I don't know the nuances of the law regarding Americans with Disabilities
  Act or unemployment compensation, but seems you might have some recourse
  with the ADA since she fired you AFTER you became ill. You could consult
an
  attorney specializing in employment law to see if there is any recourse
  along those lines.

  As far as the hearing loss goes, you should be able to perform your job
just
  fine with hearing in one ear. There is no need to disclose your hearing
loss
  unless bilateral hearing is a requirement of the job, as others pointed
out.

  Many of us on this list are dealing with impaired hearing in one way or
  another. There are many more adaptive medical devices out there than I
would
  have ever dreamed; it's a whole new world I'm just learning about now that
  I've started wearing hearing aids. There are nurses with total bilateral
  hearing loss that are working with adaptive devices. It's definitely not
  easy, but it's certainly possible.

  Cyberhugs and best wishes for a brighter future!

  Diane Dito

  In a message dated 11/4/2007 2:52:40 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
  LWoiblett at msn.com<mailto:LWoiblett at msn.com> writes:

  Well, My  boss, the doc who owns the practice, stopped by my house after 
  church this  morning to tell me that she had thought it over very
carefully
  and 
  that she  could not afford me any longer.  (Guess that 60,000/yr was just
so

  much  more than I was worth).  
  I understand that not being there for the  past 5 weeks has made it bad
for 
  her, but I took no salary for the time that I  have been off on sick
leave.

  She gave me no notice or severance  package.  She said she would not
cancel
  my 
  health ins. until the end of  the month.  She said that she decided to
tell
  me 
  this way so my husband  could be there for support.  (I almost actually
said

  out loud "How  thoughtful of you".  But I did not.  I just got home from 
  packing up  my office.  I also know that having to take time off for more
dr
  appts  
  than I ever thought I would have is hard on the practice.  I had started
  back 
  1/2 days on Thursday, and there is no way I can do a full day yet.   
  I am still too upset to start polishing the CV and looking for another
job,

  but is there some recourse that I might have?  I had no contract and  that
  is 
  one lesson hard learned today...although I did have one at my last job
and 
  there was so many ways to get out of it that it was pretty  worthless.
  And how much disclosure do I  have to give my next employer  re: my
hearing 
  loss?  I am afraid that I will not be able to get another  job when
someone 
  finds out I have a total hearing loss in one ear.
  Sorry to  cry on everyone's shoulders but I am in a spot that I have never

  experienced  before and have no guidance.....and I am doubly scared
because
  we 
  just bought  another house and have not yet sold ours so I am going nuts 
  thinking about  double mortgage payments!
  Thanks in advance for any advice you can  share..
  Lynn W
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