Aspie Nurse Wants To Get RN

[WinterpegLPN]

I have Aspergers syndrome, but it is fairly mild. I actually form wonderful relationships with my patients and am excellent at tending to their emotional needs, so theres none of the stereotyped aspie insensitivity.

Where I run into problems is the other staff. I can get along with them fine on a professional level: I'm always polite, helpful, and supportive. The social beehive that is nursing is pretty confusing for someone who isn't able to read that kind of stuff. I tend to naively trust my colleagues, and some of them seem to think that it's a really fun sport to manipulate me because I can be fooled by insincerity. And of course theres the ubiquitous problem of bullying. Bullying in nursing tends to focus on a female-centred model that revolves around gossip, backstabbing, false faces, and all that other stuff that I am nealry helpless at.

Nursing school was no fun either. I was an excellent student, owing to being a science geek my whole life but once again politicing and bullying made it extremely difficult.

I want to go back to school for my RN. I love being a nurse, and I just want to do a good job for my patients but I am scared of the school environment. I have learned a lot about functioning like a neurotypical, but learning that kind of stuff intellectually doesn't compare to having the innate ability. It's kind of like having to do a math equation for every person you interact with while you are talking to them: totally exhausting.

There are distance education programs, but I am concerned about a few things:

1. you usually get jobs through practicum. Their practicum is in the next province over from me. Could I use my pre-existing contacts from the present hospital I'm at (I'm currently in BC)?

2. How well are they regarded by employers, even if through a university?

[finallyfound10]

Go for it!! Don't even give your RN school classmates one second of your time!! Go to class, take notes, study and have a repeat GREAT performance!! I have ADHD and I know that there are ADHD Coaches that some use to navigate through school, work, or just plain old life and find them very helpful. Are there Aspie Coaches that could assist you? Now there is the clinical part where there are small groups of students who are to "work together" as a "team" but I've been in several groups where that didn't happen at all and was rough but patient care was the focus for me so I got through it. As far the working part, you don't have to work at a hopspital with a lot of female RNs as there are so many other things to do in nursing. After seeing so much crap as a student on the floors, I don't want to work there either! I want to treat patients not deal deal w/ so many catty women.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

As a science geek and a mom to a child with Asperger's I totally get what you are saying. Back in school now, it's like being in junior high school all over again. The best compliment I got was from another classmate who worked with me on patient care for the first time this rotation, she was impressed with my compassion and skills. Apparently another catty student was telling everyone that although I score high on exams (because she likes to eavesdrop when I am getting my score from my instructor) that must mean I am only book smart and horrid at patient care.

It's tough to be treated that way, but it does get easier as time goes on. Let me tell you that not all nursing environments have that bully mentality. I found when I worked nights as an ER tech it was truly a team environment where we worked to utilize everyones strengths. It was bliss.

The fact that you have easily developed a rapport with your patients says a lot about your social and personal interaction skills.

For what it's worth, I don't think the stereotypical insensitivity is accurate, I think it is just misinterpreted. People assume that because you have difficulty reading social cues that you must be insensitive, but both you and my son have proved that stereotype wrong.

If you want to go the online route, go for it contact the program to determine the requirements for clinical placements. As far as acceptance, that is relative. I'm still in school, but my sister is a nurse educator (RN, BSN, MSN, APN-C) she has stated that some of the online only (no physical university or on campus courses) schools have a lower reputation in her/her colleagues eyes. But the online programs associated with a brick-and-mortar, established university are considered as valid and reputable as degrees obtained from the traditional method. (We are in the US but I am guessing that the same applies to Canadian programs.)

Good luck. Your heart is on track, and now you just need to boost your own self-esteem as you progress to your RN. You know that you can succeed.