Shasha

Thank you so much for replying and sharing!

Hey, just wanted to ask, any nurses here are Autistic? If so, what are some challenges you deal with? A few of the challenges I deal with being an Autistic nurse are dealing with sensory issues (bright lights, smells, recognition of body cues in myself at times), being treated badly by anyone in some situations, and at times communicating with others.

I know this is a old post... I'm an neurodivergent nurse with ASD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and CPTSD. For those who wonder if being a nurse is within your reach, in a lot of cases, the answer is yes; however...everything can be even more complicated and challenging to deal with in comparison to neurotypicals. One thing I would have to say is that you really have to be self aware and know yourself well. You have to decide if you want to have any type of accommodations. If so that means discussing your status with school and your employer. This is something you really have to weigh out very carefully. In regards to communication, honesty it can depend on the type of nursing you go into, as well as the time of day you decide to work. I work day shift at a primary care pediatric facility. Although I do at times have to talk a lot, my nursing task with patient care are very routine day by day. And usually if my routine has to change, ie I have to do the job of a MA vs LPN/RN, I still have an idea of what I need to do. That wouldn't be the same if I was in Med/Surg with a specialty in Ortho, but have to float to Neuro due to staffing. I know I would either have a meltdown or shutdown eventually, if that was the case. If the idea of communication is a huge turn off for you, OR, Research, Documentation Review are great options. The ICU (especially at night) as well as an observation unit can also be good options as well.