Major elective surgery staff nurse Aaron Hobin was 27 when he discovered he was dyslexic, and in the middle of his nursing degree.
“I found it hard to read the board, was often frustrated and had poor handwriting,” he recalls. “It was like my thoughts couldn’t keep up with what I wanted to say.”
Aaron was diagnosed after completing a questionnaire through his university.
It was a relief to know why I found some things more difficult
Dyslexia is a neurological difference primarily affecting reading and writing skills and information processing. People with dyslexia may have difficulty digesting and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and can impact on other areas such as organisational skills.
“I’d always been told I was lazy, easily distracted and had a short attention span, so it was a relief to know why I found some things more difficult,” says Aaron. “It meant I could now access support at university such as visual aids to help me see letters easier and speak-to-write software.”
What is neurodiversity?
Dyslexia is grouped with various other neurodiverse conditions affecting how someone responds and reacts to the world. The term was first used by sociologist Judy Singer in the early 1990s.
Although neurodiversity isn’t the same thing as disability, people who are neurodiverse may need adjustments or support at work.
Dyspraxia (also called developmental coordination disorder, or DCD), dyscalculia, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other learning difficulties are all considered to be neurodiverse conditions.
Feeling or being told you're different can be stressful
It’s thought around 30% of the UK population are neurodiverse, with a higher number of those people estimated to be working in health care.
Many people are not diagnosed with a specific condition until later in life, or sometimes not at all, and can spend years struggling to “fit in” leading to poor wellbeing.
Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety can be more common in people with neurodiverse conditions because for many individuals, there have been large parts of their life where they have struggled to meet academic and/or social expectations, and they may have difficulties finding a career they can excel in.
Having a person with a neurodiverse mind in your workplace is a positive thing
Positive perspective
“I think feeling or even being told you are different can be stressful,” says Aaron. “I also feel there’s a negative stigma in workplaces about neurodiverse conditions, but it can actually be a positive thing and people need to be more confident speaking about it.”
While it’s true that many people who are neurodiverse may have difficulties with social interaction, communication and sometimes physical tasks, there are many positive aspects of having a neurodiverse workforce including unique problem-solving skills, attention to detail and creative ways of completing tasks.
“I have lived experience and can apply this to my job,” says Aaron. “For example, when I assess a patient, I have a 3D image of that person in my head, I try and visualise the problem and I don’t think other people do that. I process information differently.”
Workplace support
Although Aaron felt supported as a neurodiverse nursing student, once he began working in a clinical setting, he found it wasn’t always straightforward to get help.
“At university there was a lot more awareness of neurodiversity with access to tutors and various learning aids,” he says.
“But, going from a student to a staff nurse was more difficult as it wasn’t as easy to access the software I need to view patient notes. Reading black and white notes on a screen can be really difficult for me. It took 12 months for the trust to supply me with a laptop that allowed me to reduce the stress visually with read-to-write software.”
It's really important workplaces are welcoming to people who are neurodiverse
Aaron was keen to do more to raise awareness of neurodiversity within the nursing workforce and contacted the RCN’s peer support service to find out how he could help. He has been part of the RCN Neurodiversity Working Group to update RCN resources supporting neurodiverse nursing staff.
“It’s really important workplaces are welcoming to people who are neurodiverse and there’s understanding among nursing colleagues of how others learn and work differently,” says Aaron.
“Having a person with a neurodiverse mind in your workplace is a positive thing and that’s what these resources are all about. They’re about using those strengths and supporting people by making reasonable adjustments in the workplace.”
Find out more
The RCN’s Education Forum and Peer Support Service have developed and are continually updating the neurodiversity webpages available for all nursing staff whether in a management role, or as someone seeking support for themselves. Any neurodiverse member can join and speak to others in a similar situation.
The various publications, videos and interviews cover what neurodiversity is, guidance for managers and signposting for ways to get support.
