Hi, I have recently been diagnosed with ADD and have started meds although I have not found the right med and dose yet. I am struggling at work to the point that I just got my annual review 3 weeks ago and they put me on a termination plan. I am currently working in LTC. Although I tried to tell them that I have just been diagnosed with this and I am working I changing my time mangement problems amongs others they really didn't want to hear. My DON stopped me dead in my tracks and said she has two boys with ADD and you just have to be accountable for you time and so forth. I think until you have ADD I think that is easier said then done. I am really trying hard and feel like I am getting nowheres. I have been there just over a year and it was not bad the whole time I have been there just since that last fall. My oldest son started kindergarten and I also have a 2 1/2 old and a 17 month old. They all very much demand a lot of attention from me. I work 6 day every 2 weeks on 2nd shift to off set the cost of daycare. It has been a long winter with my kids get sick with colds and my yongest has not slept well since she was born. She has GERD and is on 2 meds for that. Since Nov she has had to be put on a neb with pulmicort because her doctor thinks she has asthma. She is also now seeing an allergerist the possible of allergies causing the asthma symptoms. Then last week she was diagnosed with a rare bone disease called hypophosphatasia . So I have a lot going on in my life and a DON that does not really care because she think that I need to separate home life from my work life. Easier said then done.
Ok so that is a little of what is going on with me so can anyone offer any suggestion on how to organize myself at work to get everything done on time? Is there tips you can offer me that you have found to work for you? Is there a different area in nursing that would suit me better being ADD.
I am not saying I did not totally deserve the review (well parts of it, that a whole different long story), I got but I told my DON I have been working on this since Nov. I am just looking for some credit that I was trying to do something about it before my review came around. Instead I get put on a 60 termination plan.
Thanks for reading and replying, sorry its so long just trying to get some questions out of way you may have for me.
I too have ADD. I was diagnosed during my second semester of nursing school. Fortunately, my doctor was very well informed on the subject of adult ADD. I started taking Adderall XR, which really helped me with my written work and studying. I had to really work at managing my time but I have to say after trying several different stategies I finally found what worked for me. I just had my 6 month review and was very pleased...of course there is always room for improvement but no one is perfect. To me, it sounds like maybe your ADD is exacerbated by your present home situation. Kids are tough, and having 3 small ones, with one being sick just really compounds your struggle with ADD. I would suggest maybe, if at all possible, take some time off and try to get use to your meds as well as, and don't take this wrong, but try and sort out things at home. ADD is difficult, but it really can be managed. It just sounds like maybe you have way too much going on right now. As far the post regarding a lawsuit, honey, do yourself a favor and don't tackle that monster. I'm afraid you would spend a lot of time towards something very unproductive and cause yourself a lot of trouble in the future. I'm all for ADA, but you kinda need to help yourself first before you go and get in way over your head.
First of all, give yourself a BREAK. I know from seeing friends/coworkers that LTC nurses are expected to perform the IMPOSSIBLE and then made to feel that it is THEIR problem or inadequacy. That is not true. I have seen them abused more than any other nurses-especially recently with the addition of subacute rehabers thrown into the mix of 30 patients that you have to feed/bathe/medicate/turn/paperwork to death. I also would like to suggest that perhaps the anxiety, stress, and hx of depression along WITH the job may be more to do with your symptoms than you give them credit for. Hang in there, and know that you deserve to be happy and healthy. Perhaps you need to find a calmer job............ maybe a docs office :)
First of all, give yourself a BREAK. I know from seeing friends/coworkers that LTC nurses are expected to perform the IMPOSSIBLE and then made to feel that it is THEIR problem or inadequacy. That is not true. I have seen them abused more than any other nurses-especially recently with the addition of subacute rehabers thrown into the mix of 30 patients that you have to feed/bathe/medicate/turn/paperwork to death. I also would like to suggest that perhaps the anxiety, stress, and hx of depression along WITH the job may be more to do with your symptoms than you give them credit for. Hang in there, and know that you deserve to be happy and healthy. Perhaps you need to find a calmer job............ maybe a docs office :)
Thanks I totally agree with you. I would love to work in a doctors office again, I was a MA prior to becoming a LPN and I loved it but right now I don't think I can affort to do it. With the cost of daycare for 3 kids it pretty much makes it not worth working at the pay the pay nurses in doctor offices around here. My oldest will be in son all day next year which will help a little but it is something I can look into again.
I too have ADD. I was diagnosed during my second semester of nursing school. Fortunately, my doctor was very well informed on the subject of adult ADD. I started taking Adderall XR, which really helped me with my written work and studying. I had to really work at managing my time but I have to say after trying several different stategies I finally found what worked for me. I just had my 6 month review and was very pleased...of course there is always room for improvement but no one is perfect. To me, it sounds like maybe your ADD is exacerbated by your present home situation. Kids are tough, and having 3 small ones, with one being sick just really compounds your struggle with ADD. I would suggest maybe, if at all possible, take some time off and try to get use to your meds as well as, and don't take this wrong, but try and sort out things at home. ADD is difficult, but it really can be managed. It just sounds like maybe you have way too much going on right now. As far the post regarding a lawsuit, honey, do yourself a favor and don't tackle that monster. I'm afraid you would spend a lot of time towards something very unproductive and cause yourself a lot of trouble in the future. I'm all for ADA, but you kinda need to help yourself first before you go and get in way over your head.
I agree I think my ADD is exacerbated by what is going on at home. I do not plan on doing any lawsuit at this point, my husband on the other hand will be all for it. Not for the money aspect either but for how they have treated me. You are only getting some of what have been going on but they have been really nasty too me since last fall. So it goes beyond just this review.
Look, make sure you keep documentation of everything #1
You have three children. Does your husband do his share of the rearing the children? Or is he a male pig? Seriously. Men these days are not like the men our fathers were or are. You know where I am coming from.
Listen to me. Women today do everything, especially when a man is around. Now, I am not suggesting anything here, like a divorce or whatever. I am just saying that if there is anyway you can really search within yourself and see why you are anxious; etc.....then address it! ARE you getting the recommended, proper amount of sleep. As an adult you should be getting plenty, and NOT DOING EVERYTHING. Is the husband depressed or anxious?
You are a nurse, you know all the Gordon 11 funtions. Take yourself through them.
I waa really concerned about you stating that you were being told at work that peers were saying things ie....hard to come to......are you inquiring who is saying what about you? LIBEL!!!!
If you have to walk around with a schedule at work, then do it.
I do agree, there should be no medication errors. When I attend nursing college, I have to score 100% on all my med math. The university do not graduate anyone who makes med math errors.
I have a sneaky suspicion that you are doing all the work in your household, and your husband is getting bu with laziness. Because, a mother of three who is married, and claims to be depressed, and anxious is a sure sign of something wrong on the home-front. Know what I mean.
Yes, ask your doctor about disability. Doctors can refer clients to attorneys, and vice versa.
#1 can you work night shift. I know that night shift is hard for some people.
Have your husband drop off and pick up the children from day care. When you get home of a morning, go straight to bed. Hubby and kids should already be gone. What is his shift? I am just trying to think of a way to get you calmed down. I feel that no doubt, you need a break from being mommy so much and not enough daddy input.
I have pretty bad ADHD and have since I was a child. I've dealt with it so long though that I'm able to notice bad patterns and attempt to correct them on my own...sometimes I'm successful, sometimes I'm not. The one good thing that having ADHD does for me is it makes me a fantastic multitasker, I can do 80 things at once and move quickly. I'm not a nurse yet (still a nursing student), but I'm sure that will come in handy. My time management kind of sucks, and studying is hard, but I still manage to get things done on time somehow. I'm not medicated for it anymore. I just got sick of taking medication and I didn't really feel like it was helping, so I just deal with it now. I took Ritalin as a child.
I've always been weary of telling people "it's because I have ADD". I don't want to appear as if I'm using it as a crutch for my own weaknesses and not taking responsibility for things. ADD is also one of those disorders that not everyone in the medical community believes actually exists. I actually once had a physician tell me "you know that's all in your head, right?"
I'm sure your situation is vastly different since you're newly diagnosed. I've had years and years of practice learning coping strategies and just making it work. However, that might be something you want to keep in mind...it is possible to learn to deal with ADD in such a way that it doesn't affect your work negatively.
Look, make sure you keep documentation of everything #1
You have three children. Does your husband do his share of the rearing the children? Or is he a male pig? Seriously. Men these days are not like the men our fathers were or are. You know where I am coming from.
Listen to me. Women today do everything, especially when a man is around. Now, I am not suggesting anything here, like a divorce or whatever. I am just saying that if there is anyway you can really search within yourself and see why you are anxious; etc.....then address it! ARE you getting the recommended, proper amount of sleep. As an adult you should be getting plenty, and NOT DOING EVERYTHING. Is the husband depressed or anxious?
You are a nurse, you know all the Gordon 11 funtions. Take yourself through them.
I waa really concerned about you stating that you were being told at work that peers were saying things ie....hard to come to......are you inquiring who is saying what about you? LIBEL!!!!
If you have to walk around with a schedule at work, then do it.
I do agree, there should be no medication errors. When I attend nursing college, I have to score 100% on all my med math. The university do not graduate anyone who makes med math errors.
I have a sneaky suspicion that you are doing all the work in your household, and your husband is getting bu with laziness. Because, a mother of three who is married, and claims to be depressed, and anxious is a sure sign of something wrong on the home-front. Know what I mean.
Yes, ask your doctor about disability. Doctors can refer clients to attorneys, and vice versa.
#1 can you work night shift. I know that night shift is hard for some people.
Have your husband drop off and pick up the children from day care. When you get home of a morning, go straight to bed. Hubby and kids should already be gone. What is his shift? I am just trying to think of a way to get you calmed down. I feel that no doubt, you need a break from being mommy so much and not enough daddy input.
post me again.
I am here studying
I actually have an awesome husband that is very supportive of me. He is not depressed or anxious. He does his fair share of the house work and helping with the kids. My anxiety only comes when I go too work since I got my review. I just have the thought in the back of my mind is today going to by my last day, are they going to fire me today, which is causing the anxiety. Besides I have management watching me very closely.
"I waa really concerned about you stating that you were being told at work that peers were saying things ie....hard to come to......are you inquiring who is saying what about you? LIBEL!!!! "
As far as this my DON was saying staff is coming to her and telling her this. I do not believe it. The staff I work with I have asked and no one has a problem with me or my work. They have said I am negative to coworkers, residents and family members. Every staff I work with will tell you I otherwise on the residents and family memebers. Yes, I can be negative toward co-workers, I will admit I need to work on that. But she is saying I create such a negative enviroment that no one want to work with me nor do they want to get report from me.
I can only remember 3 of the med error and I was not paying attention and made a mistake. Going to third shift is kind of hard right now with the cost of daycare. I worked 3rd prior to this job and when I only had 2 children. My husband did not like me on 3rd because I was so tired all I wanted to was sleep.
I am learning about ADD and how I can become more organzied and have better time management.
Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.
Please get your doctor who diagnosed the ADD to fill out your FMLA paperwork. It needs to be done every year. Consult a labor lawyer. I wish I had 10 years ago when I was diagnosed with a chronic incurable disease. I would not have been fired so many times and have such a hard time getting GOOD work now.
OK, so it sounds dumb, but I am reading more about it. I have been reading the website additudemag.com and it has some good information on there. I have gone to work more confident knowing that it will be harder for them to fire me. I have felt more focused the last couple of days at work, but still not able to get out on time. Although I worked a floor this weekend I only work every other weekend, the medicare/rehab floor and everything changes so much on that hall.
Please get your doctor who diagnosed the ADD to fill out your FMLA paperwork. It needs to be done every year. Consult a labor lawyer. I wish I had 10 years ago when I was diagnosed with a chronic incurable disease. I would not have been fired so many times and have such a hard time getting GOOD work now.
Why would I want to have FMLA paperwork filled out? Ok, I might be slow or just plain tired right now but are you referring your diagnosis of chronic incurable disease to be ADD or something else?
what do you do for "daily" exercise? A 1/2 to 1 hour work out is a must. This should build up you energy! Have to keep it going. Check with your doctor to see what exercise you can tolerate first. Then, you must drink the daily recommended amount of water to keep healthy bowel movements. You know this stuff! Right? Okay, dear then get your sleep. 7-8 hour of sleep every day. Address your activity and exercise, sleep patterns and nutritional functions.
Do you eat plenty of vegs and fruits? For me to cut out all the fats and sugars and concentrating on eating vegs and fruits---wholes of course----was hard for me to get used to. So, what I do is even if I look at a bananna, and think my gosh, eat the whole thing, I take two bites and dispose the rest, some with an apple, I take a few bites and forget the rest, and then go for the water. I know it is wasteful, but I just do not have the time to cut everything up. I am just too busy for that. If you are busy too, make everything adjust to you!!! Nutrition, exercise and sleep. I actually have lost a lot of weight. My favorite is my figuring out that I do take time to make my own Lattes now, like Starbucks, and you could do the same too.
There is nothing wrong with a healthy structured schedule for yourself. In nursing school I have a very structure schedule for classes and notes, and places to be for clinicals. So, you can have a structured day too, a healthy one. What about vit and min supplements? Honey, I am 47 trying to nursing school, and have a 23 year old son, and in a non-marriage relationship, which is a taxi life for me, marriage would be so much better. Either married or single, women live longer, not a taxing skivish lifestyle. You know what I mean.
Making things simple in your life on a daily basis, could be dressing the kids as simple as possible, but appropiately, do you have a mother or mother-in-law that can help, church women possible. I get the feeling that you need a simple life, to focus more, think of all your time during the day from interacting with your children, your husband, going to work and TIME FOR YOURSELF as therapeutic ONLY.
Yea, the therapeutic living style. I did not have 3 children, one took enough enery out of me. I am with you 110% in you mental and physical well being. I have to go to class for now. It is early and I was glad to see that you are confident. Don't let that confidence in yourself down. Take a deep breath for today, one day at a time, therapeutic living, you, your children and your husband.
ER-RN2009
15 Posts
I too have ADD. I was diagnosed during my second semester of nursing school. Fortunately, my doctor was very well informed on the subject of adult ADD. I started taking Adderall XR, which really helped me with my written work and studying. I had to really work at managing my time but I have to say after trying several different stategies I finally found what worked for me. I just had my 6 month review and was very pleased...of course there is always room for improvement but no one is perfect. To me, it sounds like maybe your ADD is exacerbated by your present home situation. Kids are tough, and having 3 small ones, with one being sick just really compounds your struggle with ADD. I would suggest maybe, if at all possible, take some time off and try to get use to your meds as well as, and don't take this wrong, but try and sort out things at home. ADD is difficult, but it really can be managed. It just sounds like maybe you have way too much going on right now. As far the post regarding a lawsuit, honey, do yourself a favor and don't tackle that monster. I'm afraid you would spend a lot of time towards something very unproductive and cause yourself a lot of trouble in the future. I'm all for ADA, but you kinda need to help yourself first before you go and get in way over your head.