Nursing implications

By Maria Thaiveettil

When working with autistic patients the care has to be individualized. Giving individualized care to patients can be challenging if there is a lack of knowledge of the disorder by the health care staff. Because individuals with autism fall within a wide range between high functioning and low functioning, identifying the needs of each patient can be challenging. There is a lot of variance within these levels of functioning. For example, some low functioning patients may exhibit impairment in verbal and non-verbal communication, and may have hypersensitivities to touch. Often nurses lack the specialized education and training needed to provide quality care to autistic patients. According to research conducted by the Institute of Health Research, autistic patients often received care that was limited in flexibility and lacked supportive measures. This is not simply symptomatic of a lack of resources. Despite improved funding, supportive attitudes and flexibility were still limited, which indicates that often the system works for the system, not for the patient (Power, 2009). Another issue addressed by this research is lack of time. The data shows that nurses simply do not have the additional time needed for the complex needs of autistic patients.

Power, A. (2009). 'It's the system working for the system': carers' experiences of learning disability services in Ireland. Health & Social Care in the Community, 17(1), 92-98