Dionne Jaques | Nightingale College

Don’t let your limitations slow you down - A simple, yet inspiring message that deaf nurse Dionne shared during her valedictorian speech at the May 2017 Nightingale College graduation. While she stood on stage, beneath the bright lights, she recapped her cohort’s experiences in nursing school.

Becoming a nurse was a goal Dionne set for herself in 1977 when she was caring for her ailing mother and ill daughter. However, finding a program that would fit her needs proved difficult as nursing schools resisted her joining.

From a child, Dionne’s hearing impairment was evident as she relied on lip reading and sign language to communicate. Her desire to be a nurse outweighed the challenges she faced with profound deafness. To help her grow and learn, she uses a stethoscope designed for the hearing impaired that can be connected to a phone to “see” sound and rhythm.

Dionne completed an LPN program in 2000 on the Dean’s and President’s lists. Her journey did not stop there. She knew she would go back to school but didn’t imagine it would take seventeen years to get back. Flash forward to 2016, and Dionne was enrolling in Nightingale College’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program. With a few accommodations and supportive staff and classmates, Dionne succeeded throughout the program. “Getting my BSN is extremely important to me. Being a nurse is part of my soul,” Dionne shared. “I love caring for others and love being part of their lives.”

“The journey to getting my BSN has been stressful, but worth every minute of it,” Dionne said. “I have children and grandchildren who need to see how important education is, and see that you are never too old to achieve your dreams!”

​Dionne’s goal is to eventually work for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).