ADHD & Aspiring SRNA?

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Specializes in ICU,ED, & Cardiac Stepdown.

Greetings everyone!

To our advantage, we have the ability to write on this all nurses blog freely and inconspicuously without our true identities being exposed. With that being said:

I was recently diagnosed with Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) and generalized Anxiety. Now many of you might say that you knew someone who achieved tremendously in anesthesia school with adhd or add. However in my case, I have struggled academically for many years. I knew memory was not my forte and focusing was always a huge challenge. Although I am still trying to wrap my head around whether or not I even believe in ADHD or not, my provider feels that this diagnosis has a lot to do with my poor academic endeavors. These poor outcomes then caused a very low self esteem and disbelief in myself and my ability to achieve successfully in higher education. My GPA in college for 3 years as a communications major (although a D1 Collegiate athlete) was **** poor [like a 1.7 and I did not graduate] and my Nursing school ADN program GPA was a 2.96. As for the "pro's" I currently just started getting my BSN from a pretty reputable state school and have a 3.4GPA with the BSN courses alone (I'm due to finish December 2015), I have 6months of experience in the ICU at a 700bed Magnet hospital. By the time I graduate and apply I would have had about 2 years of experience in the ICU.

Now For some reason throughout this process of failure and slight triumph, I have still maintained a VAST interest in CRNA as a career. I cannot seem to shake this passion away even though the probability looks so dim. I have shadowed them and have several mentors that are both SRNA's and current CRNAs. I initially was worried about my GPA and getting it high enough to even be accepted into the program, but with this diagnosis, it scares me for many reasons. I've read on this blog and heard all the horror stories and all of the discipline needed to even survive this program.

My question's to you all are:

-Do you think I have a chance with getting accepted?

-Do you think people with ADHD/ADD (I) can get through the CRNA program alive??

This medication is not something I'd like to take forever,BUT

-Do you all think with my past (off of ADHD meds) that I will have to stay on the medication until I maybe get accepted into CRNA school and even throughout the program???--reasons being A). to keep my GPA high during the BSN and to GET THROUGH the CRNA program

&

-To those who are already CRNA practitioners with ADD/ADHD (or if you know someone with it) do you find yourself having to stay on the medication even after you graduated because of the attention to fine detail that the job entails??

I understand that these are very personal and specific questions, but it would help me TREMENDOUSLY to see if there are others with rocky pasts that were able to advance in this field and also may have this disorder. You don't have to answer all questions, just keep the feedback coming and I can gage from your responses.Please and thank you.

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Specializes in ICU, SICU, Burns, ED, Cath lab, and EMS.

I will share my experience, but it may not be encouraging. Struggled with didactic section. I got passing grades with much more dedication of time than my classmates. The true trouble started with clinicals: preceptors ranged from helpful to dreadful. The good ones helped challenge me but didn't distract me. The others were very rigid and quick to pounce. I understand it's the students mistakes can mean lives. But it was distracting being in such an adversarial environment. Experienced panic like responses and tunnel vision. The negativity ate my self-confidence. I got passed through most of it but got dismissed before graduation.

I had other classmates who had dyslexia and PTSD. Things were tough and didn't have good outcome. I have huge amount of student loans without a salary to support me. If you need more look at acute care NP. Sorry to have a tainted viewpoint, unfortunately I'm dealing with my decisions. Conversely, I know many people who succeeded and school is something you get through. You need to have very thick skin and unwavering confidence. It just my experience,my ADD was never tested. Best wishes.

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Specializes in ICU,ED, & Cardiac Stepdown.

Hey Skip219

You seriously have no idea how grateful I am for this response. You were so honest with me, and for that I am appreciative. Everything you described is EXACTLY what I was going through when I got hired at this ICU here where I live. I was ridiculed often and it was mentally challenging because it distracted me severely thus depleting my confidence almost instantaneously which then allowed room for more error. What you described up above is what I experienced until my SRNA mentor told me to go and get seen/tested. Since then, the medication has helped me TREMENDOUSLY. I completely tune out my peers, I am focused, and am able to be more bold and confident in my line of work. However, based on your response, it is looking like I would have to remain on the medication even through out the program if I wanted to actually get through alive.Thank you so much though. Also, what program were you involved in and was it a frontal or integrated??

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Specializes in ICU, SICU, Burns, ED, Cath lab, and EMS.

It was a front loaded program in Midwest. Other experiences were not passing the first didactic, taking a year off, death of parents, and adoption of a child.

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Specializes in ICU,ED, & Cardiac Stepdown.

@skip219 Ok. I see.So you had A LOT falling on your back during that time period. I guess it's true what they say about Anesthesia school, that anything bad that could happen will happen. I'm so sorry you had to go through that during such a rigorous course. Thanks again for your input.

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Specializes in ICU, SICU, Burns, ED, Cath lab, and EMS.

Chic88,

Let me know if I can help in any way or PM me.

Skip

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Specializes in ICU,ED, & Cardiac Stepdown.

@Skip219 I just attempted to PM you just to reach out, looks like I don't have the ability to PM just yet because I haven't posted up to 15 things yet? But I can receive PM's and might possibly be able to respond to them. Anyhow, if you PM me, I might be able to stay in touch that way. Thanks again.

And if anyone else has an experience with this please feel free to share.

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My simple advice to you is to simply not sell yourself short. Not pursuing your dream because of a disability is doing yourself an injustice. I know many successful people, who struggled through college and still came out to be successful in their chosen profession (Engineer, physician, nurses), and have seen the struggle first hand. It is possible! Focus on getting good GPA in your BSN program and get the most out of your ICU experience. You may surprise yourself. Best of luck!

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Specializes in ICU,ED, & Cardiac Stepdown.

@Telenurse1990 Wow thank you for your words of encouragement! That truly means lot. I'm crazy about the profession and would hate to not have at least tried. So thank you.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

If you want to PM me - I have ADHD - Combined Types and have succeeded just fine in CRNA school. I tried meds when I was like 19 - tried it for like 3 weeks and then gave it up and I did fine in Undergrad and CRNA school. It is possible, just takes more effort for people like us.

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Specializes in ICU,ED, & Cardiac Stepdown.

Why did you give it up? I'm definitely curious and interested in your success story! Unfortunately I am unable to PM because I have not posted up to 15 posts or something like that? However you can PM me your email . This is what people have been doing. I would highly appreciate this, and thanks again for sharing!

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