Do RNs w/ ADD/ADHD make more mistakes @ work?

[finallyfound10]

I have ADHD and wonder if those of you that have it make more mistakes asa nurse. Are you taking meds for it? I am a student not on meds* and wonder if it would help now and will it help when I am a nurse?

*My psychiatrist isn't keen on prescribing a stimulant but upped my prozac from 20 mg/day to 40 mg/day. She thinks that my issues are more my anxiety and depression rather than the ADHD. I would like to try a stimulant as I think that I am anxious and depressed more due to all of the stuff going on with ADHD while in nursing school. She said if the prozac doesn't work we can try a stimulant but she makes me feel like I shouldn't.

Thanks!!!

[Leelee2]

I am an LPN with ADHD, I don't feel that the ADHD makes me more prone to make mistakes. However, I am very aware of interruptions, and honestly Hate to be interrupted during certain tasks. Med pass is one of them. I let other staff members know that I am working with that when I am doing a 2 hour med pass (in LTC) that unless it is a true emergency, I dont want to be interrupted. I do provide a notebook on my cart, where CNA's and PT and OT can write me a note for non-emerg. issues. Family and resident's interrupting is part of the job, and I deal much better with them. Management doesn't have an issue with this, as my work is done, and my residents are taken care of.

I will say that I do function Much better when on medication for the ADHD. (I also am unable to take a stimulant medication due to active graves disease.) But I do take Wellbutrin, and it has made my life much more managable both at work and at home, I was resistant to meds at first, but since taking them, life with ADHD has improved greatly. If ADHD continues to be an issue for you, and taking a stimulant is not contraindicated for some reason, I would ask another provider to prescribe. My other friends with ADHD say that you can tell very quickly if the stimulant med is going to work for you. You will find that there are many nurses that have ADHD. It is a good profession for ADDers in many ways.