Here’s a heartwarming article from the North East about a deaf woman who has achieved her dream of becoming a nurse – despite being told it wouldn’t be possible twenty years ago.
The article was sent to our Editor, Charlie Swinbourne by his father-in-law, Michael Robinson, who funnily enough, used to teach her! Small world.
She showed genuine dedication to achieve her aim, taking two buses to complete her training and spending many years as nursing assistant.
Here’s an extract from the local Gazette:
A mum-of-three who was told her deafness would make it impossible for her to become a nurse has finally landed her dream job – 20 years after her hopes were dashed.
At the age of 17, Geraldine Rooney, now 37, from Redcar, was told the career she had craved from the age of three was over before it had even begun.
Despite passing all the necessary qualifications to allow her to apply for a place on a nursing course, it was made clear her deafness was a stumbling block.
But five years ago, after learning deafness was no longer a barrier to becoming a nurse, she enrolled on an access course at Teesside University – and has now landed her first job as a registered nurse on James Cook’s gastroenterology ward.
“It has been a long time studying for five years but I’m glad I did it,” she said.
“It’s been worth it. My husband has been more chuffed than me. I think he cried when I said I’d passed!”
Read the full article here: http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/redcar-woman-proves-deafness-no-6182496
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Irene Winn
November 2, 2013
Girl, you are my hero.
bobs (TSLI)
November 2, 2013
Well done Geraldine. Soooo proud of you. You are an inspiration to others wanting to start careers in a medical profession. I can only imagine some of the obstacles and challenges you must have faced. Well done. :o)
Also, well done to Teesside University – for having the balls to give access on an equal footing for all students. This is, unfortunatley, still not the norm across UK institutions. You set a shining example for other institutions that obviously need their policies and perspectives bringing up to the modern day. x
Diane
November 3, 2013
Good for you Geraldine. I also qualified as a nurse at the University of Birmingham in 2010. With support from the lecturers and Natalya, my disability advisor, plus equipment supplied by DSA it can be done. So if anyone is contemplating a career in nursing, I say go for it! My advice on placements though is do let your mentors know immediately about the accommodations they need to make, some of them will bend over backwards to help and with others you need to be more assertive!
cherry
November 8, 2013
Yes congrats Geraldine and wish you well. Congrats all round to all of us who are deaf and challenged ourselves and the professions we enter. – I qualified as a nurse in 1979 when there was no support no technology and only thanks to very very forward thinking school of nursing in brighton (before nursing became an academic university qualification!) giving me an opportunity to demonstrate a deaf person could be a nurse and the support of colleagues who let me look at their notes!
I lip-read my way through all lectures and had to do the State Enrolled qualification first and then as I was successful they supported me to continue to become State registered and then I went onto to complete the then District nursing qualification and be a practicing Sister in the community – I went on to travel worked in other countries and remain in health profession but not hands on nursing any more. Don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot do something because you are deaf. There are many deaf/Deaf/HoH nurses in this profession and have been for a while – just about finding the place that provides the opportunities and there is still a way to go. Confidence and self respecting assertiveness along with humour always helps.
Michael Heuberger
May 22, 2014
Wonderful! Any chance I can contact Geraldine? I have some specific questions …
geraldine
November 24, 2014
Thank you for all your kind comments :). Michael..Geraldinerooney@outlook.com