A Deaf Nurse On Discrimination In The NHS

Being deaf has never stopped me from doing anything; it’s other people who make it an issue.

Growing up, I knew I wanted to be independent and travel. Nursing kept presenting itself as a career option. I had a natural empathy for how people feel and knew what it was like to have to try and get clarity about things. I could see that it was an opportunity to make a difference.

Deafness throws up a lot of stuff about what you can hear and what you can do. As soon as you say the word “deaf”, you’re already locked into an unconscious bias, which is that we can’t hear so we must be stupid. One consultant didn’t want me on his ward because I had to make him stop when I needed to understand his instructions. He used to walk off ahead of me but if I can’t see…