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Student Nurse with ADHD



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Sep 03, 2009 09:49 PM

Student Nurse with ADHD


Should I tell my nursing school I have ADHD???
I have been debating this issue for a while now. I am currently in nursing school and half way through med surg. I have ADHD and on medication. I am a good student and I always sit in front and what gets me through is recording the lecture and going over the power points. Over and Over. And, online practice quizzes/informational groups. I don't read the chapters that often, I just don't learn that way. I actually don't even have the book! I am not trying to be a rebel I just study my own way. I told this to my teacher who asked me how I studied for my tests when I met with her and she got furious! She said "do you want a nurse that just studies what they have to and not be well rounded" I said you wanted my honest opinion and I gave it.
However nursing school is starting to get very hard and I barely passed the first half of med surg. Actually 40% of my class failed it and have to retake it. But not me. They are very strict on giving us only 2 hours to take our tests and finals and that is not enough time! I am always stressing over the time during tests and I never finish early. Our new school policy which just started is NOT being allowed to record our lectures because we "won't be able to record on the job" when we are talking to doctors etc. Which is bogus.

So, finally my question: Should I tell my nursing professor I have ADHD?

I don't want them to use this information against me. I just want to be able to have extra time taking the tests/finals and be able to record the lectures. I do not need any "help" during clinicals, I do very well in clinicals. I should also state that I made a "medication error" my 3rd day in clinicals. Well, my school stated that we are not allowed to give IV push, they only told us this once before; and it was a long time ago. So, at clincals the nurse I was working with didn't know either and together we drew up the medication and I pushed it. I told my clinical teacher after and she said that I will probably be suspended. Long story short, since I am a good student, they gave me another chance. I just had to write some papers and was on "probation" for the rest of the semester. That was last semester, and I don't want them to think that I can't handle nursing, or that I won't be a good nurse because I know I will be. Any suggestions? On how to approach this situation? Should I just not say anything? I could also contact my school's dept for disabled students and get set up for accommodations. I don't know if I need to go that far.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


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13 Comments
No. 1
from TessaMae
Old Sep 03, 2009, 10:15 PM

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
IMHO I have it and I didn't tell them. I could have used the extra time too but for me the cons outweighed the benefits. i suggest you make a list of the potential outcome pros and cons of telling your school and make a decision based off that. In my school you need to go through disability services (it is failry simple) but unfortunately there is a stigma that goes along with it right or wrong and I just didnt want a label or any reason for a professor to know me other than the quiet student that sits up front.
Originally Posted by Pinkpea11 View Post
Should I tell my nursing school I have ADHD???
I have been debating this issue for a while now. I am currently in nursing school and half way through med surg. I have ADHD and on medication. I am a good student and I always sit in front and what gets me through is recording the lecture and going over the power points. Over and Over. And, online practice quizzes/informational groups. I don't read the chapters that often, I just don't learn that way. I actually don't even have the book! I am not trying to be a rebel I just study my own way. I told this to my teacher who asked me how I studied for my tests when I met with her and she got furious! She said "do you want a nurse that just studies what they have to and not be well rounded" I said you wanted my honest opinion and I gave it.
However nursing school is starting to get very hard and I barely passed the first half of med surg. Actually 40% of my class failed it and have to retake it. But not me. They are very strict on giving us only 2 hours to take our tests and finals and that is not enough time! I am always stressing over the time during tests and I never finish early. Our new school policy which just started is NOT being allowed to record our lectures because we "won't be able to record on the job" when we are talking to doctors etc. Which is bogus.

So, finally my question: Should I tell my nursing professor I have ADHD?

I don't want them to use this information against me. I just want to be able to have extra time taking the tests/finals and be able to record the lectures. I do not need any "help" during clinicals, I do very well in clinicals. I should also state that I made a "medication error" my 3rd day in clinicals. Well, my school stated that we are not allowed to give IV push, they only told us this once before; and it was a long time ago. So, at clincals the nurse I was working with didn't know either and together we drew up the medication and I pushed it. I told my clinical teacher after and she said that I will probably be suspended. Long story short, since I am a good student, they gave me another chance. I just had to write some papers and was on "probation" for the rest of the semester. That was last semester, and I don't want them to think that I can't handle nursing, or that I won't be a good nurse because I know I will be. Any suggestions? On how to approach this situation? Should I just not say anything? I could also contact my school's dept for disabled students and get set up for accommodations. I don't know if I need to go that far.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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No. 2
from CECE,RN
Old Sep 03, 2009, 11:48 PM

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
Tell them, if you know the material and only need a little longer to show what you know. They won't discriminate against your disability. We had a guy in our class who got to come in and start his test alot earlier than the rest of the class because he had a disability. If anything, instructors helped him out more because he also needed a totally quite environment, free from distractions and even got to test in a different room, alone. He was in my study group and we even went over material many times just to accomodate him. It's really no biggie, you can't help that you have a disability and it's not gonna hinder you in nursing, you just simply need more time with test and such. Even the NCLEX accomodates people who need extra time on the test, so just tell them and submit the required information to allow you to show your worth to your instructors, especially if they see an increase in your grades.

May I suggest you also study using more than just the instructors powerpoints and lecture, because the main goal is passing NCLEX, not just getting by your instructors exams. When NCLEX comes around you really do need a broad foundation of nursing knowledge to pass. Good luck.
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No. 3
from elkpark
Old Sep 04, 2009, 08:05 AM
Updated Sep 05, 2009 at 11:00 AM by elkpark

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
If you're going to tell anyone, it should be your school's disability services office (or whatever your school calls it), not one or more individual professors. The only reason to disclose this to anyone would be because you're requesting special accommodations for your disability, and that typically needs to go through the central disability services office (and that office will inform your professor(s) what special services/treatment you're entitled to).
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No. 4
from Chapis
Old Sep 04, 2009, 09:05 AM

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
Ditto what 'elkpark' said.
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No. 5
from TessaMae
Old Sep 04, 2009, 09:37 AM

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
I think it is easier for someone that is not living with something like this to say to tell them. In a perfect world I say tell em! In a perfect world, I say they wont treat you any different that is illegal. Unfortunately, this isn't a perfect world and unfortunatly sometimes people treat you differently even when they shouldn't. If it was we would never have descrimination cases. I would have loved to go to disability services and get extra time on my exams, I could have used it but in my situation I just did not have enough trust in the people at my school to not hold it against me. Not just the nursing faculty but also my fellow nursing students. What would they think when I am not there in the same room as everyone else taking my exam? I just didn't want to have to answer the questions or deal with it. Maybe you are type of person who doesn't care about that sort of thing. I think that if you feel that it wont affect you negatively, go for it! It will probably really help.
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No. 6
from aminv
Old Sep 04, 2009, 10:41 AM

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
hi
i always got half hour more than other students. i came from India so i had language issue and i told them about it so they gave me extra time to finsish test and quiz. if you dont want tell them you can put in word like you have learning disability, so it takes time to learn new things , so if they can give you some extra time.
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No. 7
from boggle
Old Sep 04, 2009, 12:50 PM

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
I agree that you should work through your schools disability office. Accommodations for extra time and quiet rooms for exams were quite routine at my school. I would hate to see the few barriers your ADHD present keep you from success in nursing.

As far as not reading or owning the text, I think that is an really unwise practice. Lectures are supposed to enhance and help you understand the concepts better. The basic material is something you are responsible for reading and knowing before you come to lecture. If you only have the lecture material, you are missing part of the picture. (by the way, the office for disability at my school has readers to help with students who had trouble with comprehension and deciphering the written material).

I'm glad you had a second chance after the IV med error. That was an immediate dismissal error in my school. Is the restriction on students giving IV push meds in your nursing student handbook or syllabus? If so, being told only once that you may not give IV meds was plenty. You will be held accountable for all the written policies you have been given both in school and in the workplace. (The office for disabilities may be able to help you with a reader for those too.)

I hope this all works out well for you. Good luck!
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No. 8
from Pinkpea11
Old Sep 04, 2009, 07:01 PM

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
Thanks CECE,RN. Good point about being prepared for the NCLEX. I bought the book. Next week I'm going to find out where the student disability coordinator is at my school.
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No. 9
from Pinkpea11
Old Sep 04, 2009, 07:10 PM

Default Re: Student Nurse with ADHD
Thanks boggle. Your right about the books. So I got it. I needed to face the fact. It was just stressful for me to know that I have to read a book that I can barely carry! ha. It's going to take me so long to read all those pages, but I want to be a good nurse and I knew I couldn't get by forever by just listening to the lectures and reading the powerpoints. And as for the IV med error. No it was not in the syllabus. That's half the reason why I didn't get suspended. The other half I believe why is because I was with the nurse the whole time, and I wasn't by myself. But trust me after that incident, they made sure to remind Everyone about the no IV pushes! They also said I have a perfect record at school and I am a "good student." Thanks for your insight!
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