To Nurse Means to Nurture Part Three

This book is a book I am using as an educational tool to get nurses to see how to deal with patients who have anxiety problems and autism. Anxiety patients with needle phobia need calmed as quickly as possible and comforted in a way that comforts them. They need reassured they will get the nurses they are comfortable with and they will meet all their needs. Sometimes these anxiety patients, especially ones with Autism may also fear what another nurse may think badly of something they said or asked or did that seemed odd to them in nature. They may not even be for sure whether they really offended their nurse or not but they fear they may have. When this happens reassure the patient as promptly as you possibly can as soon as you sense they are feeling this way or tell you they are feeling this way that everything is okay and you are not offended with them. if they really did offend you, try to remember the individuality of the patient before you misjudge them based on what other people would have thought if they said, asked, or did the same thing. In the case of an autistic individual what may seem mischievous in nature to you based on how the normal individual thinks may be innocent in nature coming from them. They mean absolutely no harm by this. If they did offend you it is usually completely unintentional because they probably didn't mean it the way you took it. Nurses need to remember, some autistic individuals, especially ones like myself are liable to say or ask or do things that are more typical of the behaviors of a child than an adult. This may not always be the case, but in many instances, if something sounds odd to you, especially coming from me as an autistic individual myself, the very thing I said might as well have come from a kid because I think just like a kid in a lot of ways. Chances are I probably said or asked something for the exact same reason a child would have said or asked the same thing. Nurses need to be willing to forgive their patients in this area and remember the patient's individuality and overlook these kinds of things. Patients need to be able to regress in childlike ways and have their childlike needs met and not looked down upon when they say or do something odd. There may be other autistics the same way, and when they feel like they've blown it with you they are going to fear punishment and rejection from you until you convince them otherwise and reassure them that everything is okay and you're not offended and everything will be the same as it always was and will always meet their needs for comfort in the same way you always have. You do this, and it will tremendously decrease their anxiety and help them to relax. When they do it will greatly improve their well being and you and them will both be happy. Please remember this when working with people that have anxiety problems associated with autism. Thank you.