Strategies and guidelines for mentors and students
Mentors

1.	Asking them what they have difficulty with.
2.	Asking them how they have dealt with these difficulties in other settings.
3.	Asking them if they want to tell other staff they are dyslexic.
4.	Making sure they have a notebook to write anything down (difficult spellings, lists of instructions).
5.	Pre-printed handovers.
6.	Whether they need a BNF.
7.	A plan of the ward, with beds and patient names on.
8.	A list of the most commonly used medication on the ward.
9.	Breaking tasks down into manageable chunks.
10.	Telling them it is OK to ask for help, without saying why.
11.	Telling them to make a list of hard to spell words.
12.	Asking them if they have a pocket dictionary.
13.	Asking them if they have a calculator.
Students:
What strategies could you use with any possible difficulties on your placement:

1.	Telling your mentor what you have difficulty with.
2.	See if you can use strategies that you use in different settings.
3.	Considering whether to tell other staff you are dyslexic.
4.	Make sure you have a notebook to write anything down (difficult spellings, lists of instructions).
5.	Ask if it possible to have pre-printed handovers, if not make up your own template where you can fill in the gaps
6.	See if you can get a copy of the BNF, to help with recognising medication.
7.	Make a plan of the ward, with beds and patient names on.
8.	Make a list of the most commonly used medication on the ward.
9.	Break tasks down into manageable chunks.
10.	Ask for help, without saying why – other students ask for help
11.	Make a list of hard to spell words.
12.	Use a pocket dictionary.
13.	Use a calculator.
14.	Copying someone else’s handover notes.
15.	Link up with another student and give each other support.

Taken from Reusable Learning Object entitled "Dyslexia and workplace learning", online at www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing/sonet/rlos/placs/dyslexia2
Author: Jo Sanderson-Mann (J.Sanderson-Mann@open.ac.uk), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK 
Document updated: 19/02/2007