Re: RN - New ADD Diagnosis

Originally Posted by bcglc5

Sam
your story sounds so much like mine when my 23 yr old was young. I hear you distriss and truely understand. I remember my sons kindergarden teacher tried tohave him suspended!!! For not sitting still and not getting work done. At the time it was VERY distressing. He now is a very good loving man and difinetly an adrenalin junkie! He needs to stay busy and he manages his ADHD well with out meds.
Regardng your youngest. 2 of my chiildren started school before thier emotionally and developmentally ready. Don't get to upset about your son. I don't think meds are the answer as so many other readers with such a young child. One trick... My 8 year old is delayed in reading. Special classes and all. We started my talking to the teacher about the large overwhelming. Work load. I told her out home plan was a little different. My parents are retired teacher and they found me 6 "dick and Jane" books. Basic repetitive new work learning books. I got a pint clear plastic container filled it with m&m's and each hard word he did correctly and later full sentence correctly he got 1 piece. Talk about modivation!!!! His self esteem rose quickly as thinks started to click in his head. It took alot of time and sti does but he is learning how to focus. I dont know that he is add as 2 of my other kids but either way focus is a ongoing. Problem.
I agree with other readers about you old job, they did not deserve you. I have lost so may jobs over the last 25 years. Don't give up on nursing. Patients need you. Don't talk about your add at work, don't list your last employer, list only good references, read about you add, find out you limit days worked, hours that you can handle before getting over whelmed.
Get and read the book " I'm not lazy crazy or stupid" I have not yet finished it I cry enery time I pick it up!!! Itliene they wrote it for me. I need time to digest and put to work thier advice one at a time.
Sam ask your self if you are the person who wants to help the sick and needy. If it's yes you owe it to them and you to continue nursing. When your ready get your RN. You and your kids will feel so smart and proud!!!
PLEASE don't let others beat you down. You will find your place in nursing it just takes time.
Keep in touch. Yours and others stories and support is what has help me to feel strong
Cindy

Cindy,

I think you are responding to me but my name is not Sam it is Lisa. Thank you for the encouragement and I will look into getting that book. I have been reading about it and have a couple books. I am a fighter and don't intend to give up but some days it just seems like it would be easier. I am struggling so much partly because I have never had a problem getting a job and now that I am hardly getting any calls from the resumes I send out it is so discouraging. I know that I am a hardworking and caring nurse which I guess just makes it more frustrating to me. It seems like I am overly qualified for about everyone that is hiring or under qualified because they want a RN. Although everything has been rough I do think it was a blessing in disguise in so many ways.

With my 6 y.o that is in school my biggest thing is wanting to get him the help that he needs. If he has the diagnosis then I can do the IEP. I just don't want him to get behind in school because now days they require so much out of the kids at such an early age. I see him struggling with the phonics and connecting them to words. He will look at a word and guess what it is pretty much. I know this because when I am reading with him or practicing sight words for example if I show him the word have he will say of. I try and practice with him but he gets frustrated and mad so easily. Not so sure the candy thing would work with him because he is not a big candy eater. I need to find something that could replace it though.

I do want to continue with nursing I just need to learn some patiences and not to expect I am just going to walk into my dream job. Not even sure what that dream job would be at this point. I think I am the one beating myself down a lot. I have always had a low self esteem and with this happening, I don't have not found away to get past it yet. I go to an interview and then start thinking I would not be apply to handle the job. I don't show or tell them that. I think my fear is the same thing is going to happen like my last job. Maybe I'm not completely ready to work again but when the time is right I will find the job that is right for me.

Lisa

Re: RN - New ADD Diagnosis

I feel the same way. It sounds to me like your son and mine share the same issue. I'm glad you a fighter .. Me too. It took me 6 years to get my RN after getting my LPN. Iwas married with 3 kids at the same age do the same thing as you. Your story closely mirrors mine 15 hrs ago. It's a hard path and I hope you find you faith in yourself sooner than I did. When you spend a life time falling down even when yyou try you hardert it tends to wear on you self esteem... That's. What I have come to see. It made me a better nurse this is what I think sets me apart from those who nurse with little compassion. Good luck

Re: RN - New ADD Diagnosis

Im taking Concerta 72mg. About a month after taking the meds I read through my divorce decree again, it made sense to me for the first time in over a year and a half! I also bought myself a G1 phone from TMobile and added internet access. I carry it with me everywhere!!! I signed up with Google and can keep track of tasks, set up text and email reminders, make notes, add information, anything that comes to mind, and it syncs with everything I use! It's great!! I'm doing much better now! Keep looking for employment, its a tough market in the midwest right now. Especially since I don't want to work 12hr shifts at a hospital and can't afford to take a 25-35% cut in pay! I'm positive I'll find the right job at the right time and fortunately have a wonderful man who's very supportive of my pursuits. I hope you get the help you need, be proactive for yourself!! Never give up!

Re: RN - New ADD Diagnosis

Originally Posted by LPN&momof3

I am a LPN that was diagnosed in Feb of this year with ADD. This year has been extremely rough for me because I was terminated from my job in April because of my ADD. Of course they tired to cover it up to make it look like it wasn't that but I flat out asked my manager what they real reason was and she said it was because of my performance. I was diagnosed in Feb and started on medicated and had a bad annual review which I told them then what my diagnosis and i was started on medication. They put me on a 60 day termination plan and it was towards the end of the termination plan is when they found there excuse to fire me. I had to fight for my unemployment all the way to a hearing where the judge told them in the award letter they had no reason to fire me. I am basically in the place of not know what to do.

Should I continue with nursing or change to something else. I enjoy being a nurse but not sure what area I should work in. With being a LPN I am limited to what I can do. I keep applying to jobs every week and hardly get any calls. I think when they see the reason why you left your last job and I put, I will explain at interview, it either makes them not interested altogether. When they have the question, have you ever been terminated? I have to put yes and then I say I will explain at the interview. I don't get calls. I feel like my career has been ruined from them terminating me because no one wants to hire me now. I know they are thinking in the back of their mind well they must of had a good reason why they wanted to get rid of her. Most of the jobs in my area it seems like I am over qualified for or under qualified for. I am stick in the middle. I thought about going back to school for my RN but not sure if I can handle it right now with a 2 year old, 3 year old, and a 6 year old. We are also in the process of having our 6 year old tested for ADHD/ADD. He has a diagnosis of anxiety and a nervous tic of using the bathroom at school A LOT through out the day his teacher says. I am now questioning a learning disability because he is struggling in school and is in the bottom of his class. I say this because it runs on both sides of my family. So I don't think I could handle going to school right now. I believe what exacerbated my ADD to be diagnosed was my son starting Kindergarten and I was working 2nd shift, having the younger kids, my husband working first shift and my son was playing soccer in the fall so everything was crazy. Thing then got crazy at work and I just went down hill.

So I have been unemployed for 6 months now which looks bad on my resume and have no clue what to do or where to go.

I understand where your coming from sweetie. Stress in other areas of my life, I think is one of the main reasons my symptoms of ADD exploded the past couple of years. I would like to suggest; dont volunteer to any furture employeer that you were terminated. When I'm asked why I left my last job, I talk about the ten hour days and extreme changes in my scheduled hours, which is all true! I don't want to work 10-12 hrs shifts anymore, I need to be at home with my son in the evenings. My former employeer also couldn't commit to scheduling me even near the same times every week. One day I might have to be there at 0430, the next 1000! It was ridiculous! They were also going to extend the clinics operations and require everyone to work till 2300 some days!

Also never speak poorly about a former employer, no matter how horrible, it only reflects poorly on you.

I recently purchased the book Fired to Hired by Tory Johnson. She has a lot of great advice! I also found a book on ADD and your job, called Making A.D.D. Work, by Blythe Grossberh, Psy.D. I purchased both online used and saved some money.

Good luck take care!

Re: RN - New ADD Diagnosis

ALSO---Schools are required by Federal and often times State law to test a child for ADD/ADHD if a parent requests! You may have to put it in writing and send it to the school board, schools psychiatrist, anyone who will respond. There are IEP (individual education plan) ADD when interfering with a childs ability to learn is considered a disability and is covered under section 504 plan or and IEP. I stumbled upon this information last summer and finally understood what I could insist the school do to help my son. I wish I knew about it when he first exhibited symptoms in fourth grade!!! So don't delay!!

Take care!

Re: RN - New ADD Diagnosis

Originally Posted by Titania2009

I understand where your coming from sweetie. Stress in other areas of my life, I think is one of the main reasons my symptoms of ADD exploded the past couple of years. I would like to suggest; dont volunteer to any furture employeer that you were terminated. When I'm asked why I left my last job, I talk about the ten hour days and extreme changes in my scheduled hours, which is all true! I don't want to work 10-12 hrs shifts anymore, I need to be at home with my son in the evenings. My former employeer also couldn't commit to scheduling me even near the same times every week. One day I might have to be there at 0430, the next 1000! It was ridiculous! They were also going to extend the clinics operations and require everyone to work till 2300 some days!

Also never speak poorly about a former employer, no matter how horrible, it only reflects poorly on you.

I recently purchased the book Fired to Hired by Tory Johnson. She has a lot of great advice! I also found a book on ADD and your job, called Making A.D.D. Work, by Blythe Grossberh, Psy.D. I purchased both online used and saved some money.

Good luck take care!

Thanks, I have been doing what you have suggested when I interviewed. I am proud to say that I got a job today . I got a call from a place that I applied for back in March and interviewed but didn't get the position. They called today because they were looking for another med nurse to do home visits. They have been growing and have been so busy they now need a second nurse for this area. I think they didn't want to take the time to post the position in the paper and go through all of that process and wanted someone ASAP. I went in today and interviewed and she said she would get back with me within a day or two with her decision. She called me about an hour later and offered me the job and I start tomorrow. I am the only person she interviewed so I had no competition and I was able to start tomorrow so I had that advantage but I will take it either way. It is doing home health care visits and at least in this area it is almost impossible to get a job doing home visits without experience. I am very grateful for this opportunity and will work really hard to make it work. It is only 2 to 3 days a week which is what I was wanting with no holidays or weekends.

Re: RN - New ADD Diagnosis

A really great book on ADD is "Driven to Distraction" by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. & John Ratey, M.D. This book is a very good start about life with ADD through-out all age groups. I found it as an audio-book and played it in the car on my way to classes. It really helped me see the possibilities instead of the limitations. It is over ten years old and still very valid and up to date.