Hearing aids in EMS?

Jpkel

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Hey everyone,
Currently going to school to get my EMT cert, and was wondering is there anyone in EMS with hearing difficulties? I wear an aid in my right ear and am completely deaf in my left. I’m currently fitted with a cic (completely in the canal) but may soon transfer to a BTE (behind the ear). I was going to order the Thinklabs One stethoscope but went with the Eko instead. Just wondering if anyone else in the EMS world is hard of hearing and what they use!
Jacob
 

VentMonkey

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Hey Jacob,

While I—nor many of my colleagues—may not wear hearing aids, I am pretty sure our hearing is shot out on some level, or another. I’m certain once I near retirement age I’ll require some sort of hearing device as well.

In short, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I will say, for our (flight) program we’re required to perform annual audiograms though. Best of luck to you.
 
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Jpkel

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I think about the scene setting as an EMT and was just curious how difficult it would be as far as taking the aid out and auscultating sounds or blood pressure then popping the aid back in, wonder if I’d get a tag for handling the aid with my gloves on, maybe I’m over thinking it lol! I’m excited about this field I’m currently a pipe fitter and have been for 13 years, not my calling I’m ready to get back into the medical field!
 

VentMonkey

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You’ll do fine. We had an employee with a hearing aid at my service with absolutely no issues. He was an EMT and worked for us for a multitude of years before getting his RT and moving on.

Honestly? I never even knew, or realized he had a device in up until he was about done working for us:).
 

Tigger

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My chief has hearing aids that he can sync to bluetooth devices, to include our portable radios. I wonder if that's possible with somd stethoscopes as well.
 

Flummox

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Usually there is no problem with any job, EMS or not, as long as your vision/hearing is mostly correctable. My instructor was a hard-*** about that stuff in our first couple weeks but I think it's all hot air. I don't know a single rescue squad that doesn't fit its trucks with BP machines now anyway, and if you're in the field and you're struggling to auscultate you can always use palpation. Aside from that I can't think of much that wouldn't be observable through touch or immediately obvious to your partner anyway. You're probably all good, dude. :)
 
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Jpkel

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There’s always that one voice that says , you can’t and never will be able to because of your hearing. I’m just not ready to let 95% hearing loss stop me from doing what I have a passion to do.
 

luke_31

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I'd recommend not taking your hearing aid out with your gloves on. It's a huge contamination risk to get used to taking out your hearing aid with gloves on. Eventually you will forget you have blood on your gloves and then contaminate the hearing aid and your body with blood. I'm partially deaf myself but fortunately don't require a hearing aid for my good ear. I'd definitely look into Bluetooth stethoscopes that connect with a hearing aid it's much safer, and it's always a good idea to be able to hear clearly in the event something changes and you need to book it out from your location.
 
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Jpkel

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As far as Bluetooth from scope to hearing aid is haven’t found one, which is quite dissapointing, without the use of multiple receivers and transmitters. To me it’s too much crap to carry or focus on while trying to focus on patient care. If a company came out with a stethoscope that could sync directly to the aid via Bluetooth that would be huge ! Last night we had lab again and I had to take out the aid and use my stethoscope to ascultate lung sounds and then put it back in when I was done. I just don’t want this becoming a problem in the field which is why I’m just asking if anyone else wears aids in the EMS field. Thanks for your response Luke_31.
 

jgmedic

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Adapt and overcome, my partner uses an aid, and he has no problems. This is at a FD where the hearing standards might be more stringent. When he did his physical they asked about it and told him as long as he wears it, no worries.
 
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Jpkel

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No matter what it takes I’m gonna beat this thing , hoping to one day be a FF/EMT!
 

jgmedic

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No matter what it takes I’m gonna beat this thing , hoping to one day be a FF/EMT!

Best of luck to you. I believe, according to NFPA physical rules(1582?), it is not an an automatic disqualification, but it is a possible. My dept. was cool with it for my partner, but others may not be. Keep it up, and find the right place for you.
 
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Jpkel

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Best of luck to you. I believe, according to NFPA physical rules(1582?), it is not an an automatic disqualification, but it is a possible. My dept. was cool with it for my partner, but others may not be. Keep it up, and find the right place for you.
Thank you sir!
 

riccastillo

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Hello, I am new to the forum and came across this thread. I've been an EMT for about 4 months and currently looking into the fire service.

I am also hard of hearing and obtained my Health Examiner's Certificate (the physical you need to have done in order to drive an ambulance/commerical vehicle in CA). The hearing portion of the physical was a simple whisper test (the nurse was on the other side of the room and whispered a phrase that I had to repeat). I bring this up because I had a question about fire department physical requirements. I've seen that vision can be corrected to meet standards but what about hearing? Is the medical evaluation that is mentioned on almost all job listings the "whisper test" or actually having an audiometric exam done?
 

riccastillo

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Hey everyone,
Currently going to school to get my EMT cert, and was wondering is there anyone in EMS with hearing difficulties? I wear an aid in my right ear and am completely deaf in my left. I’m currently fitted with a cic (completely in the canal) but may soon transfer to a BTE (behind the ear). I was going to order the Thinklabs One stethoscope but went with the Eko instead. Just wondering if anyone else in the EMS world is hard of hearing and what they use!
Jacob
BTW I am 75% deaf in my right ear and use a BTE aid, my littmann classic II se serves me just right! However, be cautious when touching your aid and ears when with a patient. Contamination is no joke.
 

luke_31

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BTW I am 75% deaf in my right ear and use a BTE aid, my littmann classic II se serves me just right! However, be cautious when touching your aid and ears when with a patient. Contamination is no joke.
Yeah I'm pretty sure most of the larger departments won't touch you with the hearing issue. Maybe a smaller department will, but look at firehouse forum for a better answer.
 
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Jpkel

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Hello, I am new to the forum and came across this thread. I've been an EMT for about 4 months and currently looking into the fire service.

I am also hard of hearing and obtained my Health Examiner's Certificate (the physical you need to have done in order to drive an ambulance/commerical vehicle in CA). The hearing portion of the physical was a simple whisper test (the nurse was on the other side of the room and whispered a phrase that I had to repeat). I bring this up because I had a question about fire department physical requirements. I've seen that vision can be corrected to meet standards but what about hearing? Is the medical evaluation that is mentioned on almost all job listings the "whisper test" or actually having an audiometric exam done?
Earlier this year I went to have a DoT physical here in Texas and I failed the whisper test, he instead gave me the beep test and I passed. I don’t know if the same would apply in CA but it’s worth a shot! Best of luck to you !
 

FrostbiteMedic

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Hey everyone,
Currently going to school to get my EMT cert, and was wondering is there anyone in EMS with hearing difficulties? I wear an aid in my right ear and am completely deaf in my left. I’m currently fitted with a cic (completely in the canal) but may soon transfer to a BTE (behind the ear). I was going to order the Thinklabs One stethoscope but went with the Eko instead. Just wondering if anyone else in the EMS world is hard of hearing and what they use!
Jacob
There are several folks in EMS that have hearing difficulties and are wonderful providers. There is a medic here in East Tennessee that without his hearing aids is as deaf as a board, and is possibly one of the best medics I have ever met. It is not without difficulty though. He has had to put a lot of time into learning to adapt.

As of yet, I cannot post links due to having a new account, so I must just tell ya to google "deaf emt" and look at the first two links that come up. One should be from EMS world and the second should be from PA.

Best of luck to you sir.
 
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