I have ADHD, am i 'fit' to practice????

Nurses Stress 101

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I recently recieveda patient reletive complaint sugesting my approach to her husbands care was 'innappropreate' I was suspended from duty and had to attened a formal investigation meeting.

I answered all the allegations satisfactorally but the Nursing Matron flagged up my ADHD! and claimed that she had to look into wether my ADHD prevented me from being able to follow hospital policies in future????

I now have to see Occy Health and have my suitability to practice assesed!! surely this can not be right???

Anyong got any advice???

Help I think they are after my PIN.

Cheers.

:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:(:(:(:(:(:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire

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what happened?? i have add too so i am curious.

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Specializes in med/surg, home health.
I recently recieveda patient reletive complaint sugesting my approach to her husbands care was 'innappropreate' I was suspended from duty and had to attened a formal investigation meeting.

I answered all the allegations satisfactorally but the Nursing Matron flagged up my ADHD! and claimed that she had to look into wether my ADHD prevented me from being able to follow hospital policies in future????

I now have to see Occy Health and have my suitability to practice assesed!! surely this can not be right???

Anyong got any advice???

Help I think they are after my PIN.

Cheers.

:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:(:(:(:(:(:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire

I am going through a similar situation except mine is a pre-employment "fit for duty" It's very scary. Yesterday, I went to the occ. med. clinic for the test. I was expecting to do memory tests, have a physical assessment and such. Basically they did NOTHING! I had my vitals takken, went into a room, the "doctor" came in, opened my chart, and started questioning me on my ADD and medication that I take for it. I started to explain about difficulty staying on any one task etc.. He replied "so you have difficulty focusing hmmm.." and scribbled something in the chart. Then he started lecturing, saying medical people should take NO meds when they practice. He said "If you work at starbucks and make a mistake, the client just has the wrong latte, but a NURSE, well, the mistakes can be much more serious.'(true, but if someone has been on a med a long time, the body and mind adjust) He didn't seem to care that I have been on the med for 7 years without a problem.

The only physical "tests" he did was have me close my eyes and touch my nose, hold my arms out and tap my fingers together, and check my knee reflexes.

I still don't know if I passed.

My advice to you: When you go to the test be very careful what you reveal about medications and medical history. (I don't know how your employer knew about your ADHD, if they hadn't known, you would have just had a QA and that would be that.) Have your regular doctor right you a note to bring with you that says you are physically and mentally fit to practice nursing if you can. Bring whatever you can to show you are a a fit and able nurse with no negative history. I say to bring it in writing, because I got flustered at my appt. and everything I was going to say went right out the window.

Good luck, post back and let us know what happens. You can also send me a PM if you have questions that I might be able to help you with.

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I'm just thinking that they are considering ADHD to be a disability, but that even folks with disabilities have to be able to perform the core functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations. That's just my thoughts on what process they're going through on this.

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Specializes in med/surg, home health.

nurse without "disabilities" make mistakes too. i don't know of any nurse who hasn't had an incident at one time or another. patients complain. it isn't right that one complaint from a pt. family member leads to such an inquisition. i could see if there was a series of incidents, but one??:madface:

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Specializes in med/surg, home health.

How could ADHD prevent someone from following hospital procedures:confused::confused::confused:

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