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Being Your Own Self Advocate. A Key to Success in the Field of Healthcare. Outline. Can’t means Won’t Understanding your disability; Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses How to adapt the healthcare environment to fit your needs Self-advocacy Clinical/ Co-op Experiences
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Being Your Own Self Advocate A Key to Success in the Field of Healthcare
Outline • Can’t means Won’t • Understanding your disability; Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses • How to adapt the healthcare environment to fit your needs • Self-advocacy • Clinical/ Co-op Experiences • How and when to ask for help
Can’t Means Won’t • Sarah Stonier, June 3rd 1987. • 3rd year University of New Brunswick, Bathurst Site, Nursing Student • Diagnosed in 1997 with Dysgraphia • Placed in special SLD program for Jr. High and High School. • Accepted into UNB in 2005 with an entrance scholarship
Understanding your disability • What is your disability? • How did you feel when you found out/realised that you had a disability? • What have you learned about yourself through living with your disability? • Can you describe your disability, to your self, to your friends, to your employer? • How have you adapted your life, your home to fit the needs of your disability?
What are your strengths? I have a “helicopter” brain I can connect the dots easily I connect well with patients, I’m a good listener What are your weakness? I have poor hand writing, documenting is difficult Working in the OR would be difficult. Keeping count of surgical instruments and sponges is hard. Strengths Weakness
Adapting the Health Care Environment • What additional needs for your work environment do you have? • What things are you bringing to the environment to help yourself? • What do you need your employer to provide?
Self-advocacy • Step 1: Introducing Yourself • Step 2: Explaining your Disability • Step 3: Strengths vs. Weaknesses • Step 4: Adaptations and accommodations • Step 5: Expectations and Accomplishments
Clinical/ Co-op Experiences • Challenges and difficulties • Frustrations • Rewards
How and When to Ask for Help • Ask politely “Please and Thank You” • “I” “Me” and “You” statements • Ask for help after you’ve tried at least once with no success • Ask for help when you’re able to accomplish something, but need help to accomplish it faster due to a deadline.