So today I started a new module (collaborative practice) on my course which involves students from other programmes being mixed together (I'm an Occupational therapy student, the others are a mix of radiographers, nurses, social workers and mental health nurses, about 30 altogether but further split into groups of 6 for group work).
It was fairly hard going and incredibly draining but I got through it, the first day anyway.
The first part this morning, went on and on about 'good communication' which was so frustrating. The class were all giving suggestions and talking about how good eye contact is essential etc. I decided to try and write down some of my thoughts about it and considered trying to bring them up with the tutor 1:1 at the end, mostly because I felt I needed to make a point. I fell short on confidence and lost my chance at the lunch break but seizing my chance at the end of the day, shaking with nerves I waited back to speak to her at the end.
I started trying to speak to her when we had to vacate the room. I just said I had some points/thoughts I'd written down which about how the morning session went on about what constituted 'good communication' and using my notes I just went on to try and make my about how people seem to get it stuck in their heads that there is only one way of communicating and I happen to struggle a lot with that. I mentioned briefly that I was awaiting an assessment for Aspergers to try and give her some context to understand where I was coming from.
I do my best to deal with situations but I have developed various strategies such as writing and even trying to read out what I've written if necessary, taking regular breaks from lectures, discreet stimming (I think I'm fairly discreet anyway, although if it's particularly heavy going I can't help but fidget around in my seat a fair bit (usually my cue to take a quick break)) and some others and just because my way of trying to communicate is different, it doesn'tmean it's wrong!
She was really good about it and asked if there was anything else she could do to support me and explained that she had a nursing student previously who had a positive diagnosis and gave a couple of examples of how she supported her.
I'm glad I plucked up the courage to say something, partly because I'm glad I got to make my point and partly because although I didn't intend it to, it brought about a conversation that's made her aware of some of the issues I have which isn't a bad thing to me at all.
This brings me to the second part of my post; she suggested and I agree that it might be a good idea to give the 5 in my group a bit of a 'heads up' just so that they are aware and therefore hopefully in a better position to be more understanding. I don't have a problem with the idea of disclosing in some way, it's more how? Also, I think I find it a little difficult too because as of yet I don't have an official diagnosis.
27 Oct 2015, 5:35 pm
