Are there any other nursing students here with Asperger's Syndrome?

[Two Sheds]

I have Asperger's Syndrome, but have not told any of my instructors or classmates because I am afraid that having such a "disability" would jeopardize my position as a nursing student (I don't look upon it as a disabiity--it's who I am).

I am about to begin my last year of nursing school (yay!), and my GPA is above 3.5, so it is not affecting my schoolwork. I have received great reviews from all but one clinical instructor (this woman is well-known for her evil sadism!). My instructors and my classmates know that I have my little quirks and eccentricities, but they don't know that it's Asperger's. Or, if they have suspected it, they have not mentioned it to me.

It has not had any kind of ill effects upon my relationships with my instructors, my classmates (well, my bluntness has ticked off a couple of them!), nor the patients for whom I care. I am safe, I double-check my med dosages, and my photographic memory helps me to remember the important facts about my patients. In fact, I am known for being one of the only students who, for whatever odd reason, has an ability to get on well with the "difficult" patients, so they tend to give those to me, and I do not mind.

Death does not affect me like it does my classmates, who will bawl when a patient dies. I suppose my A.S. helps me to divorce my personal feelings from my professional ones.

I do have some special testing accommodations, but other than that, nobody is aware of my A.S. Are there any other nursing students here who have A.S., and if so, how do you handle it? Have you told anyone?

Thank you.

[talaxandra]

I don't know of any nurses with diagnosed autism spectrum disorders, though I've worked with some who had Asperger-like traits. I can't see it being a problem - I have my fair share of eccentricities and quirks, too! - and wish you luck :)