Nursing Profiles

Susan F.

Spokane, WA
RN

Born with only one hand, Susan Fleming was rejected from the first nursing program she applied to and was told she could never be a nurse, a blow that would deter most from entering the field. Not Susan. Refusing to give up and believe the nay-sayers, Susan pursued her dream with relentless determination, applied to a second nursing college, and graduated with honors.

Now an RN, Susan demonstrates exceptional innovation and skill everyday when starting IV’s, giving injections, and catheterizing patients--all with only one hand.

A 2004 graduate of the RN-to-BSN program at the Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing in Spokane, WA, Susan continuously proves to undergraduate students that a career in nursing is possible despite a physical limitation. She is an on-call RN in the Mother-Baby Unit at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane, WA, and is also a supplemental RN in the obstetrical unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chewelah, WA, where she teaches birthing and CPR classes. Most recently, she was a teaching assistant at the college supervising undergraduate student nurses during their clinical rotations at Deaconess Medical Center. Susan is currently in a Masters in Nursing program at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Susan recently illustrated her strength and love of nursing by traveling to South America to provide healthcare to some of the poorest and neediest patients in the world. As an Army wife, Susan has had the opportunity to serve patients at hospitals throughout the nation and world. When Susan is not attending to the sick, she spends time advocating for nurses with disabilities and serves as a board member of www.exceptionalnurse.com, a non-profit resource network dedicated to individuals with disabilities in the nursing profession. 

Susan not only is a role model and shining example of excellence for other nurses and students with disabilities, she is an inspiration to anyone who has ever been told their dream was impossible.