The rehabilitation nurse is a nurse who specializes in helping people with disabilities and chronic illness attain optimal function, health, and adapt to an altered lifestyle. Rehabilitation nurses assist patients in their move toward independence by setting realistic goals and treatment plans.

1. Unit-VII
Role Community Health Nurses
in Rehabilitation services
DR.ANJALATCHI MUTHUKUMARAN
VICE PRINCIPAL
ERA COLLEGE OF NURSING

2. Guide to community in caring for
hearing impaired
• Role of the Community in the
Welfare/Rehabilitation of persons with
Hearing Impairment

3. Continued
• Rehabilitation of hearing impaired persons (children/adults) is a
challenge and requires special attention from a team of
professionals attached to Govt. and/or Voluntary Organizations and
a team of Community Level Workers.
• The quality of life of persons with disabilities can only be improved
when there is a close coordination, collaboration and cooperation
between the community members including persons with
disabilities, their parents/family members/friends and Govt. and/or
voluntary organizations.
• To meet the rehabilitation needs of persons with disabilities the
community effective participation is necessary as the community
has a big role to play in the whole process of rehabilitation of
persons with disabilities.
• There could be a number of matters which are required to be
looked into at different stages of life of persons with disabilities and
thus the focus should be on what is important at a particular stage
for persons with disabilities.

4. Long Term Hearing Loss, Regardless of the cause, may
cause speech & Language Delay.
• The parents of children should be provided support and advice to identify hearing
impairment in their children. The signs of conductive hearing loss to look for in a
child are that he may:-
• have fluctuating hearing loss,
• have speech & language delay,
• be easily distracted,
• have a worried look,
• have poor school performance,
• have behaviour problems,
• at times hear OK and sometimes does not hear,
• Require repetition of what is being said etc.
• In little older children, hearing difficulties can be confused with behaviour
problems. Constant inattentiveness, below–average school performance and
frequent colds and ear aches are also signs that there may be a hearing problem
and thus these problems should not be ignored and community workers should
help the parents to get their child's hearing tested by a qualified audiologist
and/or the child should be seen by an ENT specialist.

5. Early Detection of a Hearing Loss is
Important
• The Government and/or voluntary oranizations and the community
workers should aim at community awareness of early detection of a
hearing loss in a child.
• As the first 3 – 5 yrs. of life are crucial for developing good speech &
language skills, an undiagnosed hearing loss may lead to poor
speech & language difficulties and sometimes it may even result in
behaviour problems. Thus, the earlier hearing loss is recognized,
the better it will be for a child's overall development.
• What is important here for the community workers is to keep in
mind the rate at which children normally learn and develop speech
& language skills and what should parents expect at various early
stages of a child's life
• The aim should be on amplification needs for a preschool child. If
amplification seems likely, it is better that his/her hearing
evaluation be done at the earliest and the community workers
should provide all the possible support to parents.

6. Early Intervention is Important
• If help is provided early in the life of a child with
hearing loss, the effect of the loss may be
reduced greatly.
• The community workers should motivate and
provide help to families of young children to get
involved in the early intervention services which
are made available at community level and also
elsewhere so that the needs of the child are
taken care of.
•

7. Hearing Loss can be permanent or
Temporary
• Both permanent and temporary type of
hearing loss are caused by many different
conditions.
• The sooner a hearing problem is detected, the
better it will be for a child's development.
• The community workers should encourage the
active participation of parents and their
families in the identification & management of
the problems.

8. A Good Intra/Inter Personal
Relationship is Essential at all levels
• Community workers should make it a point to get the full
cooperation of the parents. If this is maintained, the parents are
motivated to participate in training/guidance/counselling provided
to them and the outcome will be successful.
• The extent to which the professionals and/or community workers
demonstrate concern and regard for patients and parents and
interest in their perception of their own problems is crucial in
establishing an effective professional – patient, professional –
parent relationship and community workers – patient & community
workers – parents relationship.
• Individuals with disabilities/children with permanent type of
hearing loss/chronic conditions are likely to require ongoing care
and/or modifications of life style.
• The educational needs should be taken care of as per the needs
that arise at different Stages.

9. • The gainful Occupation or Economic Rehabilitation should be the
ultimate aim of a Rehabilitation process at community levels.
• To whatever extent possible the community workers should take on
the responsibility for planning, implementation & monitoring a
rehabilitation program.
• Community workers should see that various Govt. schemes for the
welfare of hearing handicapped are made available to the PWD. An
awareness should be created on the schemes available
• Community participation at all level is an essential part of a
rehabilitation program and the community workers/members
should actively participate in :
• Creating community awareness
• Mobilizing local resources
• Sharing the risks/benefits of a rehabilitation program.

10. Source
• Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the
Hearing Handicapped