Dear everyone,
It is very inspiring to find this website!
I am currently applying to nursing programs, and am pretty nervous about how I may be received, if I am accepted at all. I am born with 1 1/2 legs, wear a prosthesis and look like I limp painfully, but in reality have no pain at all and have never experienced any difficulties with respect to my one-leggedness.
Nevertheless, it is a bit disconcerting to notice that the Nurses Board of Victoria (Australia) only can say that on completion of the course, they may request a physician's report on my ability to safely practise. What are people's experiences in the study situation, registration and finding a job when one looks funny?
You have all inspired me very much, and I wish you all every success and all good things. Thank you very much.
Elisabeth
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Hi,my name is Elisa. I lost my leg to cancer when I was 9. When I was 34 I was accepted into the BSN program here. Two weeks into it, I was taken aside and questioned as to what kind of nurse I thought I could be. They wanted me to do a functional capacity evaluation to determine if I was able to go thru nursing school. After about an hour and a half of being badgered by a PT an OT and a nursing instructor, I told them I would be happy to undergo any test that all the 2 legged students would have to do. That ended it, I graduated, passed boards, and was offered a job on the orthopedic unit of the local hospital.
I have had one leg for 29 years....I know what I can do, they had to be shown.
Good luck and stay positive!!
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I have been accepted to two programs, BNurs and MNSc, and I chose the latter! In two years, I hope to be a nurse!
Now I have a new question...is it possible for a nurse to wear a long skirt? My new prosthesis is bulky above the ankle to accommodate for my foot, which is completely normally formed, and more comfortable in the natural position than in the standard "walk-on-your-tip-toes"-setup. I am most comfortable wearing a fairly wide and long, but simple skirt which doesn't show a bulge at that point on the leg.
Are long skirts considered unprofessional? (I don't see how they are really less comfortable, from my own experience.)
Would one necessarily have to go through the disclosure process to be allowed an alternative uniform like this?
Thank you.
Elisabeth
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