{"id":19346,"date":"2012-07-19T10:38:30","date_gmt":"2012-07-19T15:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=19346"},"modified":"2012-07-19T11:36:50","modified_gmt":"2012-07-19T16:36:50","slug":"big-spring-resident-nurse-follows-her-dream-despite-hearing-impairment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/07\/19\/big-spring-resident-nurse-follows-her-dream-despite-hearing-impairment\/","title":{"rendered":"Big Spring resident nurse follows her dream despite hearing impairment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Big Spring resident nurse follows her dream despite hearing impairment<\/strong><\/p>\n

July 16, 2012<\/p>\n

Meredith Moriak<\/p>\n

BIG SPRING — Alyssa Myers always knew she wanted to be a nurse.<\/p>\n

She likes people, science and helping others. After graduating with an
\nundergraduate degree in biology, applying for nursing school made
\nsense.<\/p>\n

But instead of admission, the only answer Myers received was no.<\/p>\n

It was 1987, and administrators at East Coast nursing schools told her
\nshe was unfit to be a nurse.<\/p>\n

Myers was born deaf.<\/p>\n

“It just pissed me off,” Myers said during an interpreter-assisted
\nphone call with the Reporter-Telegram. “They told me it wouldn’t be
\nsafe because I wouldn’t be able to hear my patient screaming if I were
\nin the bathroom with their bedpan. That was just a lousy excuse. I
\nunderstand patient safety, but even though I can’t hear, I never would
\nhave walked away from them.”<\/p>\n

Though her denial letter cited low GRE scores as the reason she wasn’t
\naccepted, Myers said she knew it was because she was deaf. Frustrated
\nbut determined to fulfill her dream, Myers applied to a different
\nnursing school years later.<\/p>\n

“Though they never wrote it down on paper, they told me verbally that,
\n‘This isn’t the right program for you,'” Myers said.<\/p>\n

Myers went on to earn a master’s in health psychology and was working
\nin the human resources department at a school for the deaf before she
\nmoved to Big Spring.<\/p>\n

When her husband, Mark, accepted the job as provost at Howard College’s
\nSouthwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf, Myers decided to give
\nnursing school one last shot.<\/p>\n

“I knew it was possible. I knew I could do it. I’d met successful
\ndoctors and nurses who were deaf, and the technology is out there to
\nassist me,” said the 51-year-old Myers, who graduated as a registered
\nnurse from Howard College in May.<\/p>\n

“It was for myself, but also to show that deaf people are just as smart
\nand we can do anything that anyone else can do,” Myers said.<\/p>\n

Going back to school was challenging and frustrating but was something
\nMyers said she worked through. Myers used her lip-reading skills and
\nthe assistance of an interpreter to get through lectures.<\/p>\n

Myers said she also spent a lot of time outside of class reading
\ntextbooks and doing supplemental research and learning.<\/p>\n

Howard College Nursing Instructor Luci Gabehart believes it was Myers’
\nmotivation that is the key to her success.<\/p>\n

“She’s extremely bright, and I think a lot of her success was because
\nshe worked very hard and had a great attitude,” Gabehart said.<\/p>\n

In addition to focusing on her academic studies, Myers said she spent a
\nlot of time during her first year working with an audiologist, Howard
\nCollege, the ADA and others to find the appropriate electronic
\nequipment to assist her with hearing the heartbeat while taking a
\npatient’s blood pressure.<\/p>\n

“We got it all figured out, but it wasn’t easy,” Myers said.<\/p>\n

The only time Myers felt like she might not make it through the program
\nhappened when she was trying to use her stethoscope to take the blood
\npressure manually. Even with today’s technology, nurses are required to
\n“hear the heartbeat,” Myers said. However, with the assistance of
\namplifiers, Myers was able to use headphones to hear the heartbeat
\npicked up by her stethoscope.<\/p>\n

“I can’t do things the exact same way as a hearing person, but that
\ndoesn’t make me smarter or dumber than them. It’s just the different
\npath to get to the same point,” Myers said.<\/p>\n

Myers said it’s that important everyone follow their dreams —
\nregardless if they can hear or not.<\/p>\n

“It’s so easy to give up because it can be very frustrating and tough,”
\nMyers said. “I think a lot of it has to come back to attitude. Don’t
\ngive up. It’s that simple.”<\/p>\n

Myers currently is looking for jobs on the East Coast, where she and
\nher husband will relocate. Ideally, she’d like to work with a small
\nnumber of patients in wound or at-home care, she said. She also has
\nconsidered other fields. For Myers, getting her degree was about so
\nmuch more than just personal accomplishment.<\/p>\n

“Every deaf student is different, just like every hearing person is,
\nbut if a deaf person wants to become a nurse or do anything, go for
\nit,” Myers said. “People will label you handicapped and say this and
\nthat, but with determination, you can do anything.”<\/p>\n

“It’s always upset me that colleges told me no because I’m deaf,” Myers
\nadded. “I could’ve been working as a nurse for 25 years now, but the
\npast is the past, and I was ready when the opportunity finally came
\nalong.”<\/p>\n

Meredith Moriak can be reached at mmoriak@mrt.com.<\/p>\n

Source:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.mywesttexas.com\/top_stories\/article_cf1b0d10-6873-5a0f-9370-48fc22a58717.html<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Big Spring resident nurse follows her dream despite hearing impairment July 16, 2012 Meredith Moriak BIG SPRING — Alyssa Myers always knew she wanted to be a nurse. She likes people, science and helping others. After graduating with an undergraduate…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[114,14368,4621,81,3179,14370,14374,213,40,14372,14371,14369,552,14373,71,132],"class_list":["post-19346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-ada","tag-alyssa-myers","tag-article","tag-big-spring","tag-big-springs-college","tag-gre","tag-headphone","tag-howard-college","tag-interpreter","tag-luci-gabehart","tag-meredith-moriak","tag-reporter-telegram","tag-southwest-collegiate-institute-for-the-deaf","tag-stethoscope","tag-swcid","tag-technology"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-522","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2877,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2008\/02\/04\/howard-college-announces-new-swcid-provost\/","url_meta":{"origin":19346,"position":0},"title":"Howard College announces new SWCID provost","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"February 4, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"02\/02\/2008 Howard College announces new SWCID provost Staff Reports Midland Reporter-Telegram From Staff Reports BIG SPRING -- After a 9-month nationwide search, Howard College officials announced Friday the selection of Mark J. Myers as the new provost for the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf. He replaces Ron Brasel, who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11119,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2010\/07\/13\/college-for-deaf-has-come-a-long-way-in-30-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":19346,"position":1},"title":"College for deaf has come a long way in 30 years","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"July 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"College for deaf has come a long way in 30 years By STEVE REAGAN Staff Writer Considering the school began with a converted military hospital and not much else, it\u2019s fair to say SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf has come a long way in three decades. Current and former\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7994,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2009\/10\/06\/deaf-college-generates-new-opportunities\/","url_meta":{"origin":19346,"position":2},"title":"Deaf College Generates New Opportunities","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"October 6, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Deaf College Generates New Opportunities By: Sarah Snyder NewsWest 9 HOWARD COUNTY - Anywhere else they would be a minority, but at one Howard College campus, they are right at home. This year, the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf (SWCID) is creating some brand new opportunities. It looks just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16627,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2011\/11\/14\/david-myers-of-dars-dhhs-retirement-highlight\/","url_meta":{"origin":19346,"position":3},"title":"David Myers of DARS-DHHS – Retirement Highlight","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"November 14, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"David Myers of DARS-DHHS - Retirement Highlight News Flash! David Myers who has served for 18 years as Director of DARS, Office for Deaf\u00a0and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) and as Executive Director, Texas\u00a0Commission for the Deaf has announced that he will retire on December 31,\u00a02011. Among his most noteworthy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/david_myers.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3720,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2008\/07\/24\/darsdhhs-trilingual-interpreter-training\/","url_meta":{"origin":19346,"position":4},"title":"DARS\/DHHS Trilingual Interpreter Training","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"July 24, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"DARS\/DHHS Trilingual Interpreter Training DARS\/Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) has Hispanic trilingual interpreter training under way this week at SWCID in Big Spring. This training, from July 20-25, is the second such trilingual training offered by DARS-DHHS, and is a pioneering effort, since this is a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9119,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2010\/01\/27\/want-to-see-what%e2%80%99s-happening-at-dars-el-paso\/","url_meta":{"origin":19346,"position":5},"title":"Want to See What\u2019s Happening at DARS? – El Paso","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"January 27, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Want to See What\u2019s Happening at DARS? For: People Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing Date: February 16, 2010 Time: 6:00 PM Where: El Paso Community College Admin Service Center Board Room A-200 9050 Viscount El Paso, TX 79998 Hosted By: El Paso Community College Interpreter Training Program and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19346"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19346\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19351,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19346\/revisions\/19351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}