The safety of dyslexic nurses, and whether they are a danger to their patients, has been widely discussed. This empirical study sought to discover the impact of the dyslexic profile on clinical practice for nursing students. Two focus groups of third-year nursing students in higher education were set up: a control group and a dyslexic group. The findings were congruent with the literature, in that students provided evidence of literacy difficulties, memory problems, lack of automaticity skills, issues of self-esteem as well as specific skills deficits. While cognitive processing problems emerged, the findings also pointed to some strategies the students were using to compensate, as well as a significant underpinning ethos of ensuring patient safety. Finally, evidence of apparent disability discrimination, usually resulting from ignorance by nursing mentors who knew little or nothing about dyslexia, was also apparent. Pedagogical considerations for the support of dyslexic students in the academic setting have been well researched. However, it is apparent from this study that such methods do not always transfer to the clinical setting. The findings of the study have implications for pedagogy and support in the work setting for dyslexic nursing students. (Contains 1 table.)