New Graduate- ADHD and working as a nurse

Nurses Disabilities

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Hello, 

I just graduated nursing school this May. This February however, I was diagnosed with ADHD (in my last semester of nursing school). It's still a fresh diagnosis, but I've been through a lot between meds, and trying to find coping mechanisms that work in general.

With medications- I've been on stimulants and non-stimulants. Both do not work without triggering my anxiety/other side effects and it feels so discouraging. With stimulants particularly because they do work a bit, but the anxiety overthrows all of it. I studied and pass my boards without meds, but I know compared to others who don't have ADHD, it could've been less of a struggle.

I want to be the best nurse I can be. I begin my job within a week on a Med-surg unit in a residency program. I

I would truly appreciate tips, stories, anything that doesn't make me feel alone in this diagnosis and difficulty with treatment.

Thank you.

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Only advice I have is to work through this without disclosing at work if at all possible. Don’t care who a person is or what their problem, once the employer finds out, ammunition has been provided. Give yourself a better chance.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I’m with caliotter. Never disclose a mental health diagnosis to an employer if at all possible. There are just too many things that can go sideways and you could find yourself out the door before you even get started. Yes, technically employers are not allowed to discriminate against workers with disabilities (including mental illnesses), but it happens every day. Health care businesses have offices full of lawyers who know all the ways around the ADA, so they usually get away with it. 
 

Don’t share with your co-workers, either. All you need is one person to blab to the next and then you have a target on your back. Trust me, it’s not worth it. I’ve been burned badly twice and would never disclose my mental health condition again, if ever I were to work in the future (I’m on disability and don’t see that changing, however). Good luck to you. Viva

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There are many nurses who also suffer from ADHD and are very successful, there are also doctors with it. I have been a nurses for 11 years and you can very much perform your duties. You have to educate yourself as much as possible on how ADHD gets in the way and ways to work with it. So for example if an nurse who has ADHD feels unorganized, find a system that works, like checklists. If you feel like may be forgetful while on the job, set alarms. Nowadays with smart phones, you use that to your advantage on helping you get through challenges that adhd can bring. So key is use your tools! You got this! 

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On 3/1/2021 at 10:05 PM, relentlesslizzy said:

There are many nurses who also suffer from ADHD and are very successful, there are also doctors with it. I have been a nurses for 11 years and you can very much perform your duties. You have to educate yourself as much as possible on how ADHD gets in the way and ways to work with it. So for example if an nurse who has ADHD feels unorganized, find a system that works, like checklists. If you feel like may be forgetful while on the job, set alarms. Nowadays with smart phones, you use that to your advantage on helping you get through challenges that adhd can bring. So key is use your tools! You got this! 

I love this so much! Actually- a huge update is that yesterday was my first day off of orientation, and I did use alarm and everything to keep me on task. And they worked! ? I also found a medication that helped me. The side effects are meh, but I can deal with it. Thank you so much for being encouraging!

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Which medication finally worked for you?  I have also experienced too much anxiety on ADHD medication.

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6 hours ago, marylandmom said:

Which medication finally worked for you?  I have also experienced too much anxiety on ADHD medication.

I'm on adderall, instant release, 10 mg. But I've been on prozac for my anxiety as well. It seems like there's a period of side effects for Adderall, then it eventually goes away.

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Specializes in Education.

Sometimes it's also helpful to realize that some units are more ADHD friendly than others.

I have ADHD. I'm on meds that work pretty well...but I also play to my strengths and work in the ED. Inpatient nursing let my brain just wander too, too much, even with all my checklists and other tricks. Doesn't mean that I can't - I have picked up OT on IP units - just that it's harder. 

Personally, there's enough of a difference between medicated and non-medicated me that I had to tell my manager, because it came up in my yearly review that some days I'm just not there, mentally. And those are the days that I forgot to refill my meds and am suffering, badly.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I have ADHD and do not consider a disability. I have behavior modification only.

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