By Melissa Wirkus, associate editor
For Barbara Sanders, a nursing student in New Jersey, every day represents a new day to learn something new and make the most out of life.
The vivacious 21-year-old student excels in school and is working toward completing her RN-to-MSN program—an extraordinary feat for someone who had to recover from a debilitating car accident just three short years ago.
“I was in a car accident in June of 2005 that put me in a coma for several weeks,” Sanders recalled. “I was a vegetable. After I finally woke up I had to learn to do everything again. I had to learn to walk and talk again.”
Despite having to re-learn how to do everyday tasks, Sanders was determined not to miss a day of nursing school. She returned to school that same fall, against the advice of her doctors who warned that she would only be frustrated and upset that her learning skills may not be the same as they were before the accident. She is glad she persevered.
“I wouldn’t let myself miss one semester,” she said. “But now after this is all over, I have a real understanding of my patients that I didn’t have before my accident.”
Sanders was one of seven incredible nursing students with disabilities who were awarded scholarships through a program with ExceptionalNurse.com.
Donna Maheady, Ed.D., ARNP, founder and president of ExceptionalNurse.com, said she launched the site in 2001 in support of the inclusion of more people with disabilities in the nursing profession. Exceptional Nurse is now a non-profit organization striving to assist and bring awareness to nursing students with disabilities.
“Students with disabilities need to see evidence that a career in nursing is possible and that they are supported by an organization,” Maheady explained. “The financial support of a scholarship from ExceptionalNurse.com is more than financial assistance. It helps to build confidence in the student’s ability to be successful. We provide links to mentors (nurses with disabilities), resources and a newsletter. We encourage the recipient to stay in touch with us.”
Maheady noted that scholarship programs for nursing students with disabilities are especially important because many have additional expenses besides the required tuition and books.
“In addition, nursing students with disabilities often have extenuating circumstances (medical, therapy expenses, equipment e.g. amplified stethoscope) above and beyond the expenses incurred by students without disabilities,” she said.
Tito Plank, a nursing student with learning disabilities enrolled in Sonoma State University’s Clinical Nurse Leader program, said the scholarship he won from the Exceptional Nurse Scholarship Program will help him out tremendously during the upcoming semester.
“The program I’m in is an accelerated entry-level master’s of nursing program and I’ll be unemployed throughout the full 18 months,” Plank said. “So, the Exceptional Nurse scholarship is a great support to me financially to help pay for books and supplies. But more importantly, when people ask about my scholarship it gives me a chance to educate them about inclusion and recognition of nurses with disabilities.”
Maheady said that students with disabilities, especially those in nursing, may face significant obstacles along their educational path. Scholarships can provide them with monetary help and also give them the confidence and motivation they need to continue on.
“Negative, pessimistic attitudes from nursing faculty, nursing staff members and fellow students can be experienced by some students,” Maheady said. “When reasonable accommodations, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (for example, extended time on tests, excused absences, auxiliary aids) are provided for a student with a disability, the other students may complain that it isn’t fair.”
“Students overcome these barriers by being prepared to demonstrate their determination, commitment and ability to perform nursing skills with and without accommodations,” she concluded. “They have to be prepared to work hard and often have to practice skills more than students without disabilities.”
Sanders is very familiar with obstacles, especially since she was recently in another car accident that sent her to the hospital with a broken leg. One more accident will not get in the way of her future goals, however.
“I see myself doing a lot of travel nursing in the future, I just want to go everywhere,” she said. “The scholarship makes me even more motivated to finish school. Knowing that this is going to pay for the next semester is very encouraging!”
For more information on the Exceptional Nurse Scholarship Program visit ExceptionalNurse.com
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