Autistic Brain.RSCN/RGN. FFNMRCSI.MSc (hons) Healthcare Ethics and Law. MSc Adv. Leadership. QPS Manager. La Touche consultant Restrictive Practices through the Human Rights Lens. Human Rights consultancy service
As an autistic person working in healthcare, before diagnosis, while caring for others I was dying inside. Alexathymia meant I found it hard to read other people's emotions from facial expressions alone, or sometimes indentifying my own. Some colleagues viewed me as cold, unfeeling and not part of the team. Nothing could have been further from the truth. The off the charts empathy that we autistics are gifted with, and a need to ensure my care was always evidence based and safe ensured a great relationship with patients. However as a nurse back in the 80's and 90's, questioning care and challenging doctors wasn't seen as the mark of a good nurse. Thankfully Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland and nursing faculties like Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, RCSI brought enquiry into our profession. Staff who go into healthcare do so because we care. However depending on our condition, there can be struggles. Be it ASD, ADHD, dyslexia or others, for each deficit, there are incredible strengths. Many don't ask for help fearing promotion or employment prospects. So it's up to those of us who can speak out to do so. I can only speak about autisim and my experience in healthcare. Accommodations are really important if we're to work productively. Sometimes its simply a case of being able to take a ten minute break. Sometimes having a trusted person in the organisation we can talk to. Being autistic is literally our brain. It's not our personality !. We're not being precious or self entitled. If our needs aren't met we're the ones who'll suffer the sometimes catastrophic consequences. That's the disability part. But we autistics have incredibly hyperconnected brains & ability to hyperfocus. We're justice seekers, fact finders and safe carers. They're our super powers, particularly in the healthcare setting where people come to us looking for safe empathic care ❤️ #actuallyautistic #beautifulautisticbrain HSE Workplace Health & Wellbeing HSE Research and Development
Dr. Mary McCaffrey, Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist, is a Senior Medical Advisor with MPS, and is Deputy Coroner for Cork City. Dr. McCaffrey previously worked as a Gynaecologist at Limerick Women’s Prison.
6moFlorence I’m seeing a lot of young girls with autism and it would be lovely to get guidance on delivering care