The Real World of Jobs

[Next]


Re: Question for Karen L. Re: Recommendation

From: Karen Lewis
Date: 10/17/00
Time: 7:18:25 PM
Remote Name: 216.68.31.171

Comments

Hello Kelly, Thank you for your compliment, and also, your question which perhaps will result in young people understanding the favor such a person as yourself and my high school guidance counselor do by taking this action. Looking back on it NOW, I definetly am thankful he included that I stuttered in his reference to the Director of Nursing Education. While at that time, 18 years of age, I was horrified when she told me, looking back, I see what a favor he did me. I was very locked up about this then and would never have been able to bring it into the open. Had he not done this, I would have continued to carry the heavy load of anxiety that I would be dismissed from the school with each new instructor I had, as well as the nursing staff with whom as students we were involved, who I would have feared would "complain" to my instructors. Even though I didn't see it that way the day the Director of Nursing Education said it, I now realize that by this information being available on the first meeting, and likely passed to most if not all further people in my nursing education process, I was free of the fear even before I started school that I would be dismissed because I stuttered. What I could not do for myself, he had done, and I had been accepted with this knowledge being evident. Looking back, also, I realize that he had sent all the needed information which would be part of the process of being qualified to enter the school, and I met the necessary criteria. By this, the nursing school could see my speech had nothing to do with my intelligence, which had so long disturbed me (as in what I believed others thought.) He had, of course, sent the courses, level, grades, and had highly recommended me for their program. She informed me of that, and when she referred to the stuttering seemed rather matter-of-fact about it, telling me she didn't see that as a hindrance to nursing school. So, this left me to deal with only the usual issues of stuttering - embarrassment, frustration, etc., and, of course, working on communicating verbally as I evaluated poorly on until the last year. I realize as I entered each new class and/or area, the instructors knew beforehand, which also undoubtedly made them prepared, and therefore, aware before THEY met me of how they might deal with this situation. I'm sure now this was much preferable to them than being "surprised" by it. Undoubtedly, this being already known, they and I were not faced time after time, class/rotation after rotation, with the awkwardness of this over and over being newly discovered and all that entails. And, I would like to use the terminology it freed me of a terrible unnecessary fear I would have carried until that last score was posted. So, the answer is a definite "yes," looking back, I AM very grateful he included that information. He did me a major favor by doing that, relieved me before I ever started of a great, additional anxiety in an already difficult situation. (Just an example of the usual stress nursing school presented, and particularly this school - only half of our class graduated.) Had he asked me if I minded if he included that, I'm not sure what I would have told him. Knowing how I was so unable to open up about it then, I can just say I'm glad he didn't ask me, and that he DID include it. I hope this answers what you desire to understand about this situation, and also, that any other young people facing this can understand the benefit of their stuttering being known up front in such a situation. Sincerely, Karen Lewis


Last changed: September 12, 2005