Can You Be a Children's Nurse with Tinnitus? Screaming, Shouting, Crying Children...

Hi everyone,

I'm really hoping someone can help me advise my friend.

Ok so my best friend has finally passed her GCSE and is doing A-level this year (she's the same age as me, early 20's, but it took her years to finally pass them but she never gave up).

Anyways her dream is to be a children's nurse, she's never wanted to be anything else and can't see herself being anything else. But last year she had an ear infection that led to tinnitus, and a year later it's still there but she has habituated and I have helped her a lot to get through it since I have had tinnitus longer.

So in other words her tinnitus doesn't bother her anymore but she's worried that because of her tinnitus she can't be a children's nurse.

This is what I am hoping someone can help advise.

She's worried if she became a child's nurse that her tinnitus would get worse being around children all day everyday (the screaming, shouting, crying etc).

I'm not sure how to advise since even though I work in a hospital too, physiotherapists don't have as much noise exposure.

Is being a children's nurse a bad idea for someone with tinnitus? Could it get worse around screaming, crying children?

 

Unlikely, I am phlebotomist and a Medical assistant and I have children screaming in my rooms everyday. I also have two small children screaming in my house everyday also. It's just not as loud as we perceive it to be.

Life is just not worth putting on pause for tinnitus.

Since this is a positive post be prepared do a s@$# of negative comments after.

 

Thank you @Jason37, I'm a physiotherapist student in my final year and 60% of the time at placement but so far I have not had a child patient so that's why I could not advise her, thank you for your advice.

I'm hoping for her that others will be similar to you.

 

I have children and have taken them to plenty of doctor appointments. Kids do not scream nonstop. She could possibly slip in a musician’s plug prior to a potentially noisy procedure — like a vaccination. That’s really the only time my kids have let out a loud cry.

What type of pediatric work is she interested in doing? Some environments will be louder than others. I have sadly walked the halls of pediatric ICUs and they were incredibly quiet. I’ve also spent time in a NICU and the preemies were so tiny that their cries were barely audible.

 

@Tinker Bell she's thinking of working on a children's ward in a hospital.

 

I think @Tinker Bell gave good advice. She should be able to perform this job without much of an issue as long as she wears ear protection if things get uncomfortably loud.

 

Thanks @Jack Straw she was thinking of keeping earplugs on her at all times.

So it looks like nursing is fine for people with tinnitus?

 

My aunt is a nurse and has had roaring tinnitus since she was a teenager... she now has profound HL and wears hearing aids and still works as a RN. I had no idea she had tinnitus for 35 years until I got it 19 months ago. She is fine with it at work... as a matter of fact she doesn't even think about it.

 

@Jason37 I'm exactly the same, when I'm at placements I never think of my tinnitus as I'm way too busy, it's not until I get home when I can hear it but I quickly find something to do.

 

Go for it. Following you dream will lead to a calmer life and work place. Calm is important for T.
If T persists I am sure she will find ways to cope...she may be so busy she is suitably distracted not to give it the attention it craves.
Go for it...and the best of luck its a wonderful profession...my wife a nurse...nurses rock X

 

@Kelvin thanks, love the last line, I'll tell her you said nurses rock as it will make her smile and I know she will agree, her mom is a nurse, her grandma was a nurse, she has three aunts and two cousins who are nurses.

 

I don't think it would be a problem unless she has hyperacusis too.

 

@Red she only has mild tinnitus that was caused by an ear infection.

By mild I mean she's the same as me, can't hear it outside, can't hear it over TV, low music etc, the only place she can hear it is in quiet places.

She also looks after her ears, never goes to loud events, never uses earphones or headphones I printed a link that @Michael Leigh gave me about headphone use and gave it to her and she has never used headphones since reading it, she only listens to music through her phone or CD player but on low, and uses a sound machine at night.

 

In terms of noises from children, I think a children’s ward will be quieter than a pediatric office. Her experience with an ear infection and tinnitus may give her another level of empathy and compassion her patients’ parents will appreciate.

 

Hi!

I personally don’t think she’ll have a problem working in that type of environment as long as she has protection. You shouldn’t let this ruin your dreams!

I’m also a pre-med student in college and worry that I won’t be able to do my job but I know a handful of NP, PA, etc that work with their tinnitus and they’re fine.

 

Lots of peoples tinnitus is different. Some people don’t have spikes. My father has it but can only hear it in quiet rooms. When mine is at its worst I can hear it over everything so it fluctuates randomly and spikes. So in a lot of cases I think that is a factor.

My father is a diesel mechanic and works on loud machinery regularly, races drag cars, uses things like wood chippers and tractors on his land. All with no ear protection. Personally I’d probably go insane if I attempted any of those things.

 

Same with my mom. She shoots guns, water skis, goes to concerts and claims she only hears it when she thinks about it.