Being a Deaf Nurse Is My "Superpower”: Britny Bensman Is Breaking Barriers in Healthcare

Britny Bensman says working as a deaf nurse is both a challenge and a "superpower."

Over six years ago, Nurse.org readers were first introduced by deaf nursing student Britny Bensman. In 2019, Bensman was working as a medical assistant and pursuing her LPN degree while founding The DeafMed, a resource and community for deaf healthcare professionals. 

While inspiring and influential even then, Bensman has gone on to achieve even more impressive goals. Today, Bensman has earned her BA, BSN, and RN, welcomed two beautiful children into the world, has written a children's book, and expanded her work as an advocate for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Phew, that's a lot! Because Bensman has been so busy, Nurse.org wanted a chance to check back in with her and learn more about her journey to becoming a deaf nurse.

Becoming a Nurse

Bensman says that her journey to become a nurse started with her own difficulties trying to communicate with healthcare professionals because she was deaf. She describes healthcare communication as a "barrier" that she realized very early on she wanted to change. 

"I wanted to prove that deaf professionals belong in healthcare, not just as patients or advocates, but as skilled, respected providers," she says.

According to Bensman, her journey to realizing her dream of working as a nurse started in college, where she was a student athlete on the basketball team and earned her biology degree. "Those years taught me discipline, teamwork, and resilience, qualities that have carried me through every step of my nursing career," she points out.

That resilience and discipline would come in handy when COVID hit in the middle of her plans to continue with her education. Bensman pivoted, working as an LPN for 2.5 years before she was able to go back to school and earn both her BSN and RN in 2024. If that wasn't enough, she also welcomed her second child the same year, "which made that year even more special," says Bensman. 

After an initial foray into emergency nursing, Bensman now works in internal medicine, which she says she enjoys because it allows her to "build long-term relationships with my patients, residents, attendings, and everyone involved with my patients’ care." 

Alongside her work as an RN, Bensman also owns and operates DeafMed, a resource hub and community built on three core values:

• Empowerment: Empowering the deaf community to break barriers in healthcare.
• Accessibility: Creating access to communication for all, regardless of hearing ability.
• Advocacy: Championing the voices and talents of deaf individuals in every healthcare setting.

Making it Work as a Deaf Nurse

As a deaf nurse working with hearing patients and coworkers, Bensman uses a combination of technology, communication strategies, and teamwork to complete her duties. She gave a run-through of some of the tools she uses:

• For phone calls, Bensman relies on Video Relay Service (VRS), which allows her to communicate in real-time through an ASL interpreter. 
• In the hospital’s EPIC system, she uses a secure chat to clarify orders, share updates, and communicate quickly with my care team. 
• For meetings and educational sessions, she requests interpreters to allow her to fully participate and contribute.
• To auscultate, she uses an amplified stethoscope.

Bensman also adds that one-on-one communication is key, so whenever possible, she positions herself to see facial expressions, read lips, and pick up on visual cues. 

"It’s been a journey of constant learning, adaptation, and advocacy," the nurse comments. She adds that while being deaf in a hearing-dominated profession isn’t without challenges, she also believes it has benefits. 

"It’s also a superpower," Bensman comments. "It’s given me a unique ability to connect with patients, especially those who have felt unseen or unheard in medical settings. I’ve become more resourceful, more creative in how I communicate, and more determined to pave the way for future deaf healthcare professionals."

Advocacy at Work

While Bensman is succeeding in her role as a nurse, she explains that advocacy is still very much a necessary part of her life. 

"Accessibility is still not built into every healthcare process, so I often find myself advocating for what I need," she notes. "Whether it’s making sure interpreters are scheduled for essential meetings, reminding colleagues to use secure chat, or explaining why clear visual communication matters."

She adds that balancing the role of educator and nurse can be exhausting at times, but seeing the changes stick, making things more accessible for myself, other staff, and patients, "makes it worthwhile."

The work she does, not just as a "regular" nurse, but as an advocate for the deaf community, is also incredibly worthwhile when she does happen to encounter a deaf patient or family member. 

"The most rewarding part of my job is when deaf patients and their families realize they can communicate directly with me without extra steps or barriers," she shares. "The look of relief and comfort on their faces is something I’ll never forget."

Bensman adds that she has had parents of deaf children thank her for showing their kids that a healthcare career is possible for them—especially in the emergency room, when finding an interpreter at the last minute becomes very challenging. But beyond directly serving the deaf community, simply encountering a deaf healthcare professional makes an important and lasting difference. 

"My presence often helps hearing patients see the value of diversity and inclusion in healthcare," she notes.

Children's Book - Spreading Her Message

Bensman has extended her presence beyond the hospital walls with the publication of her first children’s book, We Hear Different. We Care the Same., which she says was inspired by her own experiences as a deaf nurse and her passion for representation. 

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"I wanted children, especially those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, to see themselves in healthcare roles and believe they can do anything," she explains. 

The book celebrates hard-of-hearing and deaf individuals in all types of roles in healthcare, from dental workers to veterinary professionals. "My book celebrates not just nurses and doctors, but all kinds of healthcare professionals, and it emphasizes that compassionate care comes from the heart, not from how well you hear," she says. 

Bensman self-published her book alongside her illustrator, Autumn Pelfrey, who she says "did an incredible job" representing the diversity of the Deaf community, with some characters having hearing aids, cochlear implants, or no devices at all. The journey to becoming an author was an exciting one for the nurse, but she also said it came with a steep learning curve.

"One of the biggest challenges was balancing the writing and publishing process with working full-time as a nurse and caring for two young children," she admits. "But the moment I held the finished book in my hands, every late night felt worth it."

As she celebrates her first book, Bensman is also contemplating her future. She is considering furthering her education as a Nurse Practitioner to serve the Deaf and HOH community, and hopes to expand DeafMed into a larger platform for mentorship, advocacy, and representation. After recently attending her first camp as a deaf nurse, she hopes to offer similar mentorship and hands-on learning experiences for deaf youth interested in healthcare.

In short, the nurse is doing what she has always done: overcoming her obstacles, dreaming big, and living her mission of inspiring others to "believe in their potential and change their 'can’t' to 'can'."

"I’m thrilled to continue advocating for the belief that we all can become something amazing in the healthcare world," Bensman says. "I invite you to join me on this journey—together, we will make a difference!"

You can follow Bensman on Instagram at @thedeafmed and on her website, The DeafMed. 

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