In this blog for Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month, BVNA Council Member Macauly Gatenby discusses how neurodiversity is vast within the veterinary profession, and by being compassionate and empathetic to individuals can allow opportunity for growth, development and optimisation of everyone’s abilities.
Find out more about VNAM here, and how you can get involved this year.
Neurodiversity is vast within the veterinary profession. Creating space for neurodivergent thinking is key in a one team approach to patient care, allowing growth not only in practice but across our profession. By being compassionate and empathetic to individuals, diversity of mind and approaches allow opportunity for growth, development and optimisation of everyone’s abilities. We champion niches in practice so why do we not do the same with the way we think and approach things? Providing room for others’ approaches and methodologies is what gives us unique perspectives and abilities to optimise our patients’ care. If we all had the same lateral thinking we would stick with the mentality of “we’ve always done it that way”. We should always stop and remember to cheer and allow others to thrive in an ever-greying world.
Different thinking styles don’t go against the grain, it provides scope to understanding areas we can improve on. Neurodiversity comes in many different forms, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum condition (ASC) and dyslexia. By not shying away from neurodiversity, it will not only bring awareness but provide opportunities for others to come after we have paved the way. Having honest and open conversations not only improves our worklife but also provides opportunities to improve our own abilities to support caregivers and their pets, gives unique perspectives of compassion and empathy.
As someone who is dyslexic, deaf and has ADHD I think I have a unique understanding of the world and therefore can bring a brilliant approach to working. Where some people may shy away or feel hesitant in communicating with someone who has identified their neurodiversity I jump at the opportunity – how can I provide that caregiver the best support, how can I answer their questions to the best of my ability? What would I like as someone who is neurodivergent and how can I transfer this in order to obtain the most from that caregiver for their pet? We often work in a fast-paced environment but sometimes we need to take a step back and understand those few extra minutes or seconds may make a massive difference not only to that person but also to their pet. How can we adapt and change our communication style in order to best suit that individual? Do they associate a specific consultation room with negativity, do they need to take a sit down or need us to not look directly at them, can we provide them with additional resources to digest information and then opportunity to ask questions, do they need a receptionist who they have a good bond with in the room to relay the information or to be able to draw information from?
We need to start thinking of different ways we can approach a situation in order to gain the most from it. It is only when we show this sort of compassion we can provide the best care for their pet.
Macauly Gatenby, BVNA Council Member
