Nursing & Neurodiversity

In this enlightening video, Student Nurse Laura discusses neurodiversity in the workplace, from the origins of the term to potential accommodations. As well as this, she speaks candidly about her experience as a nursing student who is also neurodivergent.

Hi, my name is Laura, and today's video will explore what neurodiversity is and people who may identify as being neurodivergent.

Neurodiversity is a term that more and more people are identifying with. As more people identify with neurodiversity, more awareness of the subject is brought about.

Neurodiversity is an umbrella term that incorporates many people, recognising the unique differences in how our brains work. Simply put, our brains work atypically. It is thought that up to 1 in 7, people are neurodivergent in some way.

Defining Neurodiversity & It’s Origins

But what is neurodiversity?

The University of Harvard medical school states that neurodiversity recognises all people's diversity, specifically how people with neurological or developmental disorders may process information differently. As a result of processing information differently, we view the world, life, and day-to-day tasks differently than neurotypical people.

The term neurodivergence was first used in the 1990s by a lady who was, herself, autistic. She used this term to describe herself and people like her to increase the acceptance and inclusion of people with neurological differences. Throughout this movement, the aim was to embrace neurodiversity to shine a light on the benefits of neurodiversity.

As such, neurodiversity is an umbrella term that identifies people whose brains work differently from neurotypical brains. There is a wide range of conditions that fall under this umbrella term; for example, people are dyslexic, autistic, have ADHD, OCD, dyspraxia or have dyscalculia, alongside many other conditions.

Using this term helps us identify as being different without the need to express our specific condition to the world. But it also helps to create a community of similar people where we can embrace our differences together.

ADHD And Autism

Two of the most common conditions under this umbrella are ADHD and autism.

Autism is a developmental condition with a vast spectrum affecting people in many different ways. Autism is commonly associated with differences in behaviour, communication, ways of expressing emotions and learning. An autistic brain works very differently from the way a normal brain would.

Similarly, ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children. It is characterised by periods of hyper fixation, inattention, hyperactivity, and strong emotions. Again, similarly to autism, it can cause a range of social, behavioural, and learning barriers.

These conditions can affect a person’s life in many ways, especially as they go through school and then into to the workplace.

Creating an environment where neurodiversity can be recognised and worked with is essential.

Fostering Neurodiversity In The Workplace

How can we foster neurodiversity in the workplace?

Neurodivergent people can face many barriers in the workplace, and obstacles that neurotypical brains may not even notice or understand. Each individuals’ strengths and talents can be utilized while supporting their differences and needs.

For example, I can struggle with leaving tasks half-finished. I need to finish my current job before I move on to the next, or I get overwhelmed and can get very muddled and upset. If I walk away, I will forget what I was doing; so, in the workplace, I need people to let me finish before I move on.

Likewise, if I'm in an environment where there is a lot going on and I can't make sense of different sensory inputs, I can become overstimulated and upset, affecting my productivity.

Creating an environment where neurodiversity can be recognised and worked with is essential.

Accommodations Within The Workplace

How can employers make their workplace more neurodivergent-friendly? There are a couple categories to cover here.

Accommodations for sensory needs can include:

• Offering quiet spaces.

• Making people aware if there's a regular fire drill or other loud noises.

• Allowing reasonable adjustments to work uniform.

• Allowing people breaks to move about.

• Allowing the use of fidget toys.

Accommodations for clear communication:

• Communicate information in a person's preferred format. For example, if you speak too much at me, I can't process it, but I can make sense of it if it's written down.

• Use concise, precise wording to avoid misunderstandings.

• Break tasks down into bitesize chunks to avoid overwhelming them.

• Avoid making people read between the lines.

There are other accommodations that might also be helpful. For example, giving forewarning and explanation if plans change, and don't assume someone is breaking the rules on purpose; they may not fully understand workplace etiquette. Don't stereotype; lastly, be kind and patient.

Most accommodations are reasonable, and most people who identify as neurodivergent would be happy to explain their needs to an employer and work with an employer to make it work.

This is just a quick overview of what neurodivergence is, people who might identify as neurodivergent, and workplace accommodations that can be helpful.

Thank you for watching.