Best positions for nurse with anxiety/ ADHD

rariel · Aug 3, 2018

I have ADHD as well and some anxiety issues, mostly social anxiety. I think the best place you can work is one that interests you. I took a course to be able to work in critical care and found I loved it. I currently work in an ICU and I find being 1:1 with a patient is easier to manage. I only have one patient to be concerned with and know everything about. I don't think it would be a good place for you though. The patients are critical and stuff changes from good to catastrophic really quick with no warning. I've never been a floor nurse on a med-surg unit but given the patient load and required treatments/meds I imagine it may be difficult to manage with ADHD. Honestly, any acute care setting has the potential for things to go very wrong quickly and require you to respond accordingly. Additionally, you're going to have to be able to tell doctors what you want for your patient and defend why. You're the advocate for your patient and sometimes you have to be very firm.

The other area I worked in is LTC. I found my ADHD did not negatively impact my ability to work there, but I was insanely bored. LTC, in my opinion, is mostly pushing pills with a few minor treatments here and there (dressing changes, bladder irrigations, etc.). If you're looking for a place where not much happens, LTC is a good place. Other places you may want to look into are: ambulatory care, home care, wound care, and other non-acute care type areas

Crystal-Wings, LVN · Aug 8, 2018

I feel your pain, and feel like I just read about myself (although I've never worked on the floor). I have ADHD and anxiety issues too. I found my niche to be in private duty with stable low acuity patients.

HiddencatBSN, BSN · Aug 9, 2018

I think it's pretty individual because I have ADHD, anxiety and depression and I've always worked in pediatric emergency. The constant shifting priorities and lack of a schedule are stimulating and keep my focus and the external pressure motivates me well. I don't have to remember and plan anything- I just do it and get it done and move on. I find prioritization is easier for me because I'm not having to look at the day as a long schedule but look at my assignment in the moment and decide what has to be done now.

I definitely had some increased anxiety at first but as I learned the job and got used to doing what needed to be done that balanced out, and I actually was not on anxiety medication for several years until after I had my second child and the post partum anxiety was really bad. And I found orienting in a department with support around as I first started on my own helped a lot with new grad anxiety because there was always someone I could turn to for help if I needed it.

Based on your self-assessment, it seems like this would be the opposite of what you're looking for! I will say though that many of my coworkers are formally or self identified as having ADHD, and a lot of us have anxiety and depression. You know your strengths and the areas you struggle with, so I would make the leap to where you think you'll fit and worst case scenario, you try another specialty. It seems like a good, solid orientation with accessible mentors after orientation would be helpful to you?

RNikkiF · Sep 3, 2018

Have you considered school nursing? Clinics may be good too, if you can handle a fast pace. There are also blood centers, dialysis, there are work from home positions for insurance companies, etc, but those usually require experience in whatever acute field the position serves. Obviously, I know nothing about you other than what you've told us, but it sounds like school nursing could be a good fit for you! Helping students manage chronic diseases like giving insulin for diabetes, helping heal minor injuries and illnesses and promoting wellness!

LotusPetals82, ADN, CNA, RN · Nov 29, 2019

Maybe psychiatry

CloverPark, RN · Jan 8, 2020

Wow, I feel like I'm reading my own post... I too have ADHD and anxiety so I feel your pain! I definitely believe that the more experience you get, the better you will feel regardless of whatever position/specialty you are working. I have been working in subacute rehab for almost 6 years now, and I am FAR beyond the anxious scatterbrained new nurse I used to be... But honestly, I learned the most during times of chaos, code blues, and patients circling the drain... It may be horrible to have to go through, but that is what makes us stronger and wiser, because we will NEVER forget those times, and we come back to them often when new situations arise. At some point in time, you will just know what to expect and what to do, or at the very least, have a very good idea.... Nowadays, I can take vitals and see a BP of 82/40, HR 127, SpO2 76%, etc. and still play it cool like "You're doing fine, take a deep breath," "Don't forget to drink your water, you need to stay hydrated," and "I'm going to give you some oxygen, just as a precaution," with a smile and the most calmest demeanor ever as I assess, analyze, and consider my next course of action.... And I am telling you, that calmness you project makes ALL the difference in patient outcomes... even when you literally have NO CLUE as to what you should do, that calm approach will prevent a patient from freaking out, which prevents YOU from freaking out, and buys you a bit of extra time to think about what your next step will be.... And you will definitely need that calmness when you have a basically dead yet full code patient that the MD refuses to send to the hospital...

I also dread phone calls. Always be sure to have the most recent vitals, labs, and any pertinent info readily at hand when you make calls to the doctor.... And be prepared for questions out of nowhere.... You may call a doctor for a respiratory issue, but then he/she will ask you when the last BM was.... Make sure you have ALL the info right there in front of you when you call.

ertoclinics · Jan 15, 2020

I actually went to ER/Trauma and was so busy that I did not think about my mental health problems at work. It worked so well for me until they required a bachelor's degree and I could not afford one (they did not pay for it) so I had to leave and work in a clinic. It went downhill for me from there and I am now on SSDI. I did ER for 15 years though.

rockchickrn, ADN · Mar 16, 2020

I have ADD and generalized anxiety disorder and I suspect I am bipolar 2 also. I love psych. Nursing. Med-Surg burned me out and I have always found LTC to be too stressful for me with the patient load that you are given.

Seona, BSN, RN · Mar 18, 2020

I, also, have anxiety and ADD... that I found out while working at a small biz office a couple years ago.

Well, I am back to nursing now, on training, greatly stressed (anxiety roller coaster... but any training and any job, so not a news) period, but at least nursing is multi-tasking, and I like machines and computers, which is much better than 20+ yrs when I graduated.

Someone said it is like riding a bicycle, that I have never believed, but so far so good since nice colleagues and patients... not sure when it changes. :S

But already distracted to other things I can do while I'm hired... because I prefer technology related anyway. (and certificates, grad choices, continuing ed etc, even though I have to focus on what I'm learning right now... *sigh*)

Guest1030824 · Apr 25, 2020

Anyone on ADHD meds? If so, does your job test for these medications? I feel testing for these medications violates privacy of a person with ADHD. Thoughts?

HiddencatBSN, BSN · Apr 25, 2020

ADHD meds show up on a drug screen- I got a call and just had to give them my RX number and pharmacy for them to verify that I have an active RX for them. The testing company handled this, my employer only received confirmation that I’d passed the screen.